# The Corey Adams Searchlight Act: What It Does

This bill creates a nationwide alert system specifically designed to help find missing veterans. Think of it like the AMBER Alert system that helps locate missing children, but tailored for veterans who go missing and may be at risk due to service-related conditions.

Here's what the bill actually does: It directs the U.S. Department of Justice to set up a "Green Alert" communications network that works with states, local law enforcement, broadcasters, and veteran organizations to quickly spread information when a veteran goes missing. The Attorney General will appoint a coordinator to run this national network and help states develop their own Green Alert plans. The coordinator's job includes creating guidelines for when alerts should be issued, training law enforcement and broadcasters on how to use the system, and tracking how well it works.

The bill recognizes that missing veterans may face unique challenges—they might have service-related health conditions, mental health issues, or physical disabilities that increase the risk they could harm themselves or others. So the system is designed to get information out quickly to the right geographic areas where the missing person might reasonably be found. States can voluntarily adopt Green Alert plans, and the bill provides funding to help them set up these systems and hire coordinators to run them. The federal government is authorized to spend up to $3 million to get the network started and keep it running.

For everyday people, this mainly affects veterans and their families. If a veteran goes missing under concerning circumstances, their family or law enforcement can activate a Green Alert to notify the public through radio, TV, emergency alerts, and other channels—similar to how AMBER Alerts work. The bill also requires the coordinator to report annually to Congress on how many alerts were issued, how many people were found, and how states are protecting the privacy of the missing veterans while conducting searches.

Corey Adams Searchlight Act

Moore, Gwen

Corey Adams Searchlight Act This bill directs the Department of Justice to establish a national communications network&#8212;the Green Alert communications network&#8212;to support regional and local search efforts for missing veterans. The Green Alert communications network must operate in coordination with the AMBER Alert communications network (i.e., the communications network that supports search efforts for abducted children) and any other state alert networks.