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Governmetal Affairs Committee |
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GAC Resources
E-News Beta Test By now, you probably have noticed the design changes to the GAC E-Newsletter. We are working hard to improve the overall interface to make the E-News easier to read. The E-News will be a 'Beta Test' until the end of 2006, and we hope you will send us suggestions, technical problems, and interface improvements that you would like to see. Please send them here.
In Other News The FAMA / FEMSA GAC would like to thank all the members who participated in the 2006 Home Day Program. Many of you had incredible results, and we encourage you to share those experiences with your fellow members. The GAC has posted a small website with information about some of the Home Day activities by FAMA and FEMSA member companies. Remember - Every Day is Home Day! Please click here to see the site. |
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FY06 Fire Prevention and Safety Grants Update National Baseline Survey Findings Show Significant Levels of Interoperability Across the Nation USFA Releases December and Holiday Fires Topical Report Audit says FEMA squandering Katrina aid Biden Seeks Homeland Security Trust Statement by Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff on San Jacinto Ranger District Engine 57 Memorial Service Available for Viewing Awards for Fiscal Year 2006 Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) Announced The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced today $8,925,636 in direct assistance grants to 112 fire departments and first responder organizations through the department's Fiscal Year (FY) 2006 Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program. Additional phases will soon be announced that will total $485 million in AFG grant awards to approximately 5,000 fire-related organizations nationwide. To view the latest round of AFG award annoucements, please visit: http://www.firegrantsupport.com/awards Source: DHS National Baseline Survey Findings Show Significant Levels of Interoperability Across the Nation Source: DHS USFA Releases December and Holiday Fires Topical Report News Release Date: December 4, 2006 The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) announced the release of a report today regarding December and holiday fires. Between the years 2002 and 2004, an annual average of 128,700 fires occurred during the month of December. These fires were responsible for an estimated 415 civilian fire deaths, 1,650 civilian fire injuries, and $990 million in property loss. Cooking is the leading cause of residential building fires in December followed by heating and open flame. Cooking fires routinely start to increase around Thanksgiving and peak in December with Christmas Day having the most cooking fires. December also has the highest incidence of children playing fires where candles are the heat source. "It is a tragic realization, an unacceptable number of people lose their lives or are injured in holiday fires during what is supposed to be such a special time," said Acting USFA Fire Administrator Charlie Dickinson. "With the onset of the holiday season, it is important to remind everyone in this nation to take extra safety precautions to prevent cooking and decoration fires in the home. By following general fire safety procedures related to cooking, candle usage, and decorations, potential fires remain preventable." The report, December and Holiday Fires, (http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/downloads/pdf/tfrs/v6i4.pdf - 1.1 Mb), was developed by the USFA's National Fire Data Center as part of its Topical Fire Research Series and is based on data from the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) for 2002-2004. The report examines the causes and characteristics of December fires as well as those occurring during the holiday season. Source: USFA Audit says FEMA squandering Katrina aid One year after Katrina, the government is still squandering tens of millions of dollars in wasted disaster aid, including $17 million in bogus rental payments to people who had already received free trailers and apartments, federal investigators said Wednesday. At the same time, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has recovered less than 1 percent of the $1 billion it wasted on fraudulent hurricane assistance after the August 2005 storm, highlighting a need for stronger controls the next time a major hurricane strikes. The report by the Government Accountability Office paints a picture of an agency still struggling — at significant taxpayer expense — to find the balance between distributing quick aid to those in need while guarding against substantial abuse. Last week, a federal judge in Washington ordered the Bush administration to resume housing payments for thousands of people displaced by Katrina, criticizing FEMA for a convoluted application process. FEMA is appealing that ruling. The GAO audit found that numerous aid applicants received duplicate rental aid, with FEMA in one case providing free apartments to 10 people in Plano, Texas, while sending them $46,000 to cover out-of-pocket housing expenses. Another $20 million was wasted on thousands of individuals who claimed the same property damage from both Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. FEMA also paid at least $3 million to more than 500 ineligible foreign students in the stricken Gulf Coast, the report said. "Ineffective preventive controls have resulted in substantial fraudulent and improper payments," GAO investigator Gregory Kutz told a Senate hearing. "The additional examples of potentially fraudulent and improper payments in our testimony today show that our estimate of $1 billion in improper and/or fraudulent payments is likely understated." He described FEMA's approach of "shooting money out the door" and recouping bad payments later as badly misguided since only pennies on the dollar are typically recovered. He estimated that tens of thousands of people sought to defraud the government after Katrina and Rita. "I hope FEMA has learned the costly lesson," Kutz said . Responding to the audit, FEMA spokesman Pat Philbin said the agency has sought to eliminate waste in the past year by upgrading the registration process to prevent duplicate payments and strengthening the process for verifying names and addresses. "FEMA continues to focus our rebuilding efforts to greatly improve our reliability, accuracy and response in providing aid to disaster victims," Philbin said. "The agency will consider and evaluate any new findings that can assist in improving our processes and procedures." Among the audit's findings: _Fraud detection is inadequate. Even though GAO found at least $1 billion in disaster aid waste, FEMA has identified about $290 million in improper payments and recouped just $7 million. _Control procedures remain weak. FEMA was unable to locate dozens of laptops, printers and other items that federal employees purchased with government-issued credit cards for Katrina disaster work. In one case, FEMA purchased 20 flat-bottom boats, but could not find two of them and lacked titles to any of them. Sen. Susan Collins (news, bio, voting record), R-Maine, who requested the report, said she is hopeful that her legislation seeking to empower FEMA by giving director David Paulison direct access to the president in a crisis might offer some relief. Still, FEMA must do more to revamp its disaster aid procedures, said Collins, who chairs the Senate Homeland Security Committee. "The American people are generous and willingly open their hearts and their wallets to the victims of disasters," she said. "But they expect that their tax dollars will be spent carefully to help storm victims, not be lost to a hurricane of waste, fraud and abuse." Sen. Joseph Lieberman (news, bio, voting record), D-Conn., who will become committee chairman when Democrats take control of the Senate in January, said the panel will continue to closely watch FEMA so that it improves its practices. "The record is clear that, going forward, FEMA has much work to do before we can be confident that it is providing assistance to those who are eligible and who need it, while denying it to those who do not," he said. ___ On the Net: Government Accountability Office: http://www.gao.gov Senate Homeland Security Committee: http://hsgac.senate.gov/ Source: AP Biden Seeks Homeland Security Trust Congress should set aside $53.3 billion over five years in a Homeland Security trust fund to fully implement the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission, Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del., recommended Monday. Biden, who will chair the Senate Foreign Relations Committee starting in January, said in a statement that he intends to introduce legislation to create the fund. The financing would be made available for homeland security through a partial rollback of the tax cuts enacted by Congress in 2001 and 2003. The independent, bipartisan 9/11 Commission issued 41 recommendations for national security in its final report in July 2004, including advice to DHS to improve incident command, cargo screening, intelligence, information-sharing and private-sector preparedness. The Public Discourse Project issued a report card in December 2005 on progress toward achieving the goals. The proposed $53 billion in funding would cover the cost of hiring 50,000 new police officers and 1,000 FBI agents; require 100 percent cargo container screening at our nation's sea ports and ensure first responder interoperable communications by implementing technical standards and providing new equipment to response agencies, Biden said. In addition, Biden said the money would go toward spurring research, development and deployment of new screening technologies at airports and seaports, as well as for improving the public health system’s ability to respond to biological, chemical, radiological attacks or pandemics. “In November, Americans cast their votes for a new direction on national security,” said Biden. “We should create a dedicated Homeland Security Trust Fund to ensure that we make the grade on homeland security without going in the red. I'm looking forward to working with my colleagues to make this a priority in the new Congress.” Source: GCN NAM Victories. The 109th Congress concluded over the weekend, passing key energy, tax and trade legislation. NAM members played a key role in securing these victories. Details on the developments follow below. Highlights included: OCS - Access to outer continental shelf (OCS) energy was increased for the first time in a generation. Trade - The Miscellaneous Tariff Bill (MTB), the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), the Andean Trade Preferences Act (ATPA) and Permanent Normal Trade Relations for Vietnam all passed. R&D Credit - Seamless extension and a historic strengthening of the credit, which is a proven innovation-spurring incentive used primarily by manufacturers, was passed. HSAs - Health savings accounts (HSAs) language that allows more employers to offer HSAs, and more employees to enroll in them was adopted. Economic Data Jobs Data. Last week’s jobs report showed 132,000 jobs created in November, a sign the housing market is dampening expansion. Since June, manufacturing employment has fallen by 95,000 – the largest five-month decline in three years. Most of the decline came in motor vehicles or in industries closely connected to housing. Energy and Environment Energy Bill. The NAM applauds Congress for opening key portions of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) to energy development in the Gulf of Mexico. The bill is a key step toward a more flexible and energy supply. In the 110th Congress, the NAM will push for a comprehensive energy strategy. Human Resources Policy New Health I.T. Initiative. The NAM last week helped announce the development of an independent Web-based system called Dossia that will enable employees, their dependents and retirees to maintain lifelong electronic health records. The system enables individuals to control their own medical data from multiple sources and to create and utilize their own personal, private and portable electronic health records. Founding members are Applied Materials, BP America, Inc., Intel Corporation, Pitney Bowes and Wal-Mart. Together, they represent 2.5 million individuals/employees and they have all made a significant contribution towards the development of Dossia. To learn more, visit www.dossia.org. To view the NAM’s press release, click here. For information, contact the NAM’s Jeri Gillespie at jgillespie@nam.org. FMLA Reform. On Dec. 1, the Dept. of Labor published in the Federal Register, a Request for Information on the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). You can review the notice here. The NAM is reviewing the notice, which provides a 60-day comment period ending Feb. 2. We strongly encourage you to consider commenting on your company’s experience in administering the FMLA. Unfortunately, this notice is a Request for Information and not a notice of Proposed Rulemaking. The NAM remains hopeful that a full rulemaking will occur in the near future. View our press release here. For information, contact the NAM’s Jason Straczewski at jstraczewski@nam.org. Health Care Transparency. The NAM co-hosted a forum with the Business Roundtable and other business groups to promote the critical role employers have in implementing the President’s Executive Order on Health Care Transparency. The summit focused on how businesses can help lead efforts to provide Americans with access to information about the quality and cost of health care services, while also promoting adoption of health IT. Regulatory and Legal Reform Postal Reform. Congress passed NAM-supported H.R. 6407, the Postal Accountability and Enforcement Act. As part of the Coalition for a 21st Century Postal Service, the NAM and its membership let Congress know that a viable postal service is critical to the economy. Rate increases will be tied to the rate of inflation. There will be strict controls for emergency rate increases. Treasury will rightfully be responsible for paying military pensions for postal employees rather than having postal users do so. Mailers who pre-sort and provide other services can continue to receive rate reductions. The President is expected to sign the legislation. Tax, Pensions and Technology NAM Opposes Proxy Access Rule. Prior to the SEC’s next meeting on Dec. 13, the NAM will submit a comment letter to Chair Chris Cox in opposition to a proposal that would require corporations to include in their proxy materials shareholder nominees for board members. Proxy access would allow special interest groups to politicize director elections, to the detriment of maximization of shareholder value. The proxy issue had been on SEC’s agenda for the Dec. 13 meeting, but was dropped from the agenda. Congress Renews and Strengthens the R&D Tax Credit. On Dec. 8 and 9, in the final hours of the 109th Congress, lawmakers passed H.R. 6111, The Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006. Among the provisions is to seamlessly renew and strengthen the R&D tax credit, a proven innovation-spurring incentive used primarily by manufacturers. The NAM was a key leader in the R&D Credit Coalition. Click here to learn more about the new strengthened R&D tax credit, called the Alternative Simplified Credit, which is effective prospectively. For more information, contact Monica McGuire at (202) 637-3076 or mmcguire@nam.org. Trade Policy U.S.-China Business Task Force. On Dec. 4, this new NAM task force, composed of 13 NAM board members, held a remarkable set of three meetings with Treasury Sec. Henry Paulson, Commerce Sec. Carlos Gutierrez and U.S. Trade Rep. Susan Schwab on the importance of progress on Chinese currency undervaluation, subsidies, compliance with international agreements, including intellectual property protection, and export controls. The task force chairman, Mike Campbell, of Arch Chemicals, said the meetings were a timely opportunity to ensure that manufacturers’ views are clearly known before the U.S. and Chinese governments meet for the first Strategic Economic Dialogue on Dec. 14-15 in Beijing. Congress Passes Trade Liberalization Legislation. Just before adjourning on Dec. 9, Congress approved a number of measures which will open up markets for U.S. manufacturers: Miscellaneous Tariff Bill, for temporary reductions of tariffs on many products not manufactured in the United States. Permanent Normal Trade Relations status for Vietnam. Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), for imports from developing countries, extended for two years. Andean Trade Preference Act (ATPA) – for imports from Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, extended for six months. Court Cases Affecting Manufacturers CO2 Emissions. In a Nov. 28 podcast, the NAM’s vice president of litigation stressed that individuals and states do not have legal standing to force the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regulate CO2 emissions without congressional authorization. Listen to the 3 minute podcast for details. Forum Shopping. On Nov. 28, the NAM joined other associations in a brief filed with the U.S. Supreme Court urging review of a decision by the West Virginia Supreme Court that would undermine efforts to prevent the state from being a magnet for asbestos and other mass tort cases. The NAM’s brief argues that the U.S. Supreme Court should decide whether West Virginia’s statute is a proper way to prevent forum shopping. The full NAM amicus brief in Jefferds Corp. v. Morris is posted here. Resale Price Maintenance. On Dec. 7, the Supreme Court agreed to hear an appeal involving a long-standing rule making illegal certain practices to enforce suggested resale prices. A month before, the NAM filed an amicus brief urging the Court to take the case and consider that there are sometimes legitimate business and pro-competitive justifications for manufacturers to adopt a retail pricing policy, such as to prevent “free riding” by some merchants on the advertising, education and sales efforts of others. The case, Leegin Creative Leather Products, Inc. v. PSKS, Inc., is expected to be argued in the spring. Details are available here. Source: NAM Please join us for the NAM’s 72 Hours to Educate and Celebrate program and our New England Fly-In on February 14–15, 2007 in Washington DC. At a time when manufacturers face many challenges in the global marketplace, we welcome your involvement to speak with lawmakers from throughout New England. I have attached a copy of the preliminary agenda for our Fly-In including the NAM reception for Senators and Members of Congress who are recipients of the NAM’s Award for Manufacturing Legislative Excellence and freshman members of the 110th Congress. Please join us for this important series of meetings. You are the best voice to carry the message our lawmakers need to hear on the challenges and opportunities facing manufacturing today. Go to www.nam.org/72hours to register for this event. We look forward to seeing you in Washington. Thank you, Bruce Stebbins Join NAM members from across New England on February 14th and 15th for the NAM’s “72 Hours to Educate and Celebrate” program in Washington, D.C. With the start of the new 110th Congress, take the time to visit with your lawmakers, welcome freshman Members of Congress and thank those lawmakers who were recipients of the NAM’s Award for Manufacturing Legislative Excellence. For more information and to register, go to www.nam.org/72Hours. Source: NAM Statement by Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff on THE APPOINTMENT OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS Prior to joining the department, Don was a key member of former Assistant Majority Leader Don Nickles’ staff, where he served as director of transportation policy as well as having coordinated policy and legislative development on various homeland security issues. Don is a graduate of Roanoke College in Virginia, and resides in Alexandria, Va. Source: DHS STATEMENT BY HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY MICHAEL CHERTOFF ON THE CONFIRMATION OF THE UNDER SECRETARY FOR MANAGEMENT Source: DHS San Jacinto Ranger District Engine 57 Memorial Service Available for Viewing EMMITSBURG, MD. - On October 26, 2006, five firefighters of the United States Forest Service lost their lives in the Esperanza Fire in Southern California. On November 5, 2006, thousands of firefighters from across the nation came together in Devore, California to remember the ultimate sacrifices of Mark Loutzenhiser, Jason McKay, Jess McLean, Daniel Hoover Najera and Pablo Cerda in service to their nation. As a tribute to these firefighters, the United States Fire Administration, through its National Preparedness Network (PREPnet), has made available a 2 minute and a 20 minute remembrance video package available through Web streaming. The memorial service is available for viewing through the links below: U.S. Forest Service Engine 57 Memorial Service (20 Minutes) U.S. Forest Service Engine 57 Memorial Service (2 Minutes) "We are honored to be able to share the Esperanza Memorial Service with all firefighters of this great nation," said U.S. Acting Fire Administrator Charlie Dickinson. "We will never forget the sacrifices of these U.S. Forest Service firefighters of the San Jacinto Ranger District Engine 57 nor should we ever forget all of the families who have lost loved ones this year." Source: USFA The United States Fire Administration (USFA) has received notice of the following firefighter fatalities: Name: Kent Furman Long Fire Department: Charlotte Fire Department Incident Description: Firefighter Long collapsed at the fire station while exercising. Other firefighters immediately began resuscitation efforts and transported him to Carolinas Medical Center where he passed away from hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM). Funeral Arrangements: The funeral service was held on December 4th with interment at the Evergreen City Cemetery. Memorial Fund Contact and Address: Memorials may be donated to the Kent Long Children's Memorial Fund, C/o Charlotte Fire Department Credit Union, 2100 Commonwealth Ave., Charlotte, North Carolina 28205. Condolences to the family may be sent to www.mem.com. Tribute is being paid to Firefighter Kent Furman Long at To date, 94 firefighter fatalities have been reported to USFA in 2006
Name: Leo Soderquist Fire Department: Axtell Fire and Rescue Incident Description: Firefighter Soderquist suffered a heart attack at the firehouse shortly after working a residential structure fire in the early morning hours of 12/01/2006. Soderquist was treated by fellow firefighters and transported to the Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney where he passed away. Funeral Arrangements: The funeral service was held on December 4th with interment at the Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Axtell. Memorial Fund Contact and Address: Memorials may be donated C/o Axtell Fire and Rescue, 419 Main Ave., PO Box 96, Axtell, Nebraska 68924-0096. Tribute is being paid to Firefighter Leo Soderquist at To date, 95 firefighter fatalities have been reported to USFA in 2006.
Name: Edward DeWitt Wilburn Fire Department: Deep Creek Volunteer Fire Department Incident Description: Firefighter Wilburn was responding to the station for a reported working mobile-home fire when he suffered a medical emergency, and lost control of his vehicle causing it to veer off the roadway into a ditch. Members of his department were diverted from the structure fire to respond to his vehicle crash where they found and extricated Wilburn from the wreckage. Care was initiated on scene and Wilburn was transported to the hospital where he succumbed to his injuries despite resuscitative measures. Funeral Arrangements: Friends will be received at the Newman Funeral Homes, P.A., 179 Miller Street, Grantsville, Maryland on Monday, December 11, and Tuesday, December 12, from 2 - 4 pm and 7 - 9 pm. Services will be conducted on Wednesday, December 13, at 11 am at Hoyes United Methodist Church with the Rev. Samuel Wachter officiating. Friends may call the church one hour prior to services. Interment will follow in the Hoyes Church Cemetery. Memorial Fund Contact and Address: Expressions of sympathy may be directed to Deep Creek Volunteer Fire Department Truck Fund, or the Deep Creek United Methodist Ministries. Condolences may be sent to the family at http://www.newmanfuneralhomes.com . Tribute is being paid to Firefighter Edward DeWitt Wilburn at http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/fatalities/ To date, 96 firefighter fatalities have been reported to USFA in 2006. Source: USFA
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