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Governmetal Affairs Committee |
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GAC Resources
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.
Upcoming Events CFSI Annual Dinner. March 28-29, 2007. Washington, DC Hilton. Get your tickets early! Click here for more information.
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LIEBERMAN CAUTIONS CHERTOFF ON “RISKY POLICY” OF UNDER-FUNDING More Awards for Fiscal Year 2006 Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) Announced Members of Congress Join Congressional Fire Services Caucus Leadership FEMA Job Fair Draws 700-Plus Candidates DHS’ major programs are in the chips Who's the boss of $1B interoperability fund? Arizona Firefighters’ Response Times Are Lagging Indiana Ponders Standardized Emergency Code
Important Links from the GAC Find out what is going on with your representative! US Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs LIEBERMAN CAUTIONS CHERTOFF ON “RISKY POLICY” OF UNDER-FUNDING Good morning, Secretary Chertoff. I’m pleased to welcome you here before this committee today to discuss the Department of Homeland Security’s Fiscal Year 2008 budget request. Mr. Secretary, I’ll say publicly that I appreciate very much the leadership that you’ve brought to the Department in melding these 180,000 employees previously in separate agencies into an effective, united Department that can protect the American people here at home from disasters, both natural and man-made. And as I look at the budget I will indicate some of the places where I think there are some encouraging moves. But I must say I am deeply disappointed to see that this year’s request continues a risky policy of under-funding some of the nation’s most pressing homeland security priorities. For the fourth year in a row, the Department’s budget request cuts crucial support for our under-equipped and under-trained first responders – the fire fighters, police officers, and emergency medical workers who prepare for and respond to disasters both natural and man made. The Administration’s budget proposal would cut overall grant funding by a staggering 40 percent - which I believe will seriously limit the ability of state and local officials to protect their communities the way they should be protected. This goes not just to our on-going effort to be prepared for and to prevent another terrorist attack here in the United States, but to be ready for the natural disasters that inevitably will come. We were lucky to have a mild hurricane season in 2006, but the next hurricane season is less than four months away, and these cuts in the Homeland Security Grant Funding programs would reduce the ability of every state and city to prevent and respond effectively. Under the Administration’s proposal, the minimum amount each state would receive would be reduced from approximately $6.75 million in FY 2007 to $625,000 for FY 2008. That is a very deep cut that will be difficult for many states to absorb. Rail and transit security is another area seriously under funded by the Department’s budget request, although at $175 million, it is a marked improvement over last year’s request of zero. Mr. Secretary, you know well the vulnerabilities of our transportation systems and the history of al Qaeda attacks on those systems in London and Madrid. I know we can do more, and I believe it is urgent that in the area of rail and transit security we do more. Moving on to port security, this Committee worked in collaboration with the Commerce Committee and others to pass the SAFE Port Act last year, which authorized $400 million in port security grant funding. I believe that was a reasonable and in fact a modest estimate of the needs of this critical area that everyone agrees is a vulnerable area, which is port security. The Department is now requesting just $210 million. I hope we can find a way to get up to the $400 million that the bill authorizes because I truly do not believe that the $210 million is enough. On the brighter side, I am heartened the Department recognized the recommendations made by this Committee’s Hurricane Katrina report and subsequent bipartisan legislation passed by Congress last year. The $142 million increase to FEMA’s operating budget is a promising beginning toward helping the agency address critical shortcomings such as incident management, disaster logistics, and emergency communications. I hope over the next several years the budget continues to provide the resources necessary to restore FEMA to an agency we can all be proud of again. As I believe you know, two weeks ago Senators Landrieu, Obama and I traveled to New Orleans on behalf of this committee for a field hearing on Gulf Coast recovery efforts. We toured the hardest hit parts of the city, and heard first hand the frustrations of people desperately trying to rebuild their communities against enormous odds. The most poignant plea that we heard was not for more money to be appropriated now, but for the money that’s been appropriated to get to the victims for whom it was intended. The Gulf Coast recovery – one and a half years after the hurricane – is painfully slow and needs the attention of your Department and this Administration. It was clear to me, that just as was the case in the inadequate reaction to Hurricane Katrina, the blame here for the slowness of the money we’ve appropriated moving to the places where it’s intended to go is shared at all levels of government as well. On a different note, I’m pleased to see that the Department intends to conduct a Quadrennial Homeland Security Review in 2008. This requirement is patterned after legislation passed in 1997 that establishes the Department of Defense’s Quadrennial Defense Review, which I believe has played an important role in helping DOD realign its strategies and missions to adapt to a fast-changing world and an ever evolving enemy. I think the Department of Homeland Security could benefit from the same type of review process, and I hope that you make this a priority for your leadership team in 2008. Finally, let me note that tomorrow we will be marking up our bill on the un-implemented 9/11 Commission recommendations, which contains provisions that will strengthen the Department’s information-sharing, terrorist travel, emergency response, and private sector preparedness efforts. I hope that you will support this Committee’s bipartisan efforts to move this legislation forward. Thanks for being here, I look forward to hearing your testimony, and I would now call on the committee’s ranking member, Senator Collins. Source: US SENATE More Awards for Fiscal Year 2006 Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) Announced On Friday February 16, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced $20.6 million in direct assistance grants to 219 fire departments and first responder organizations through the department's Fiscal Year (FY) 2006 Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program. To view the latest round of AFG award announcements, please visit: http://www.firegrantsupport.com/awards Source: USFA Former Congressman Curt Weldon to be Honored at 19th Annual National Fire and Emergency Services Dinner (Washington, DC) Congressman Curt Weldon (Ret), founder of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus, will be honored at the 19th Annual National Fire and Emergency Service Dinner with the 2007 CFSI Legislator of the Year Award. The award is part of a special tribute to be conducted at this year’s event in honor of Congressman Weldon’s twenty years of dedicated service to our nation’s fire and emergency services on Capitol Hill. The dinner takes place March 29th at the Hilton Washington. A former volunteer fire chief from Marcus Hook, PA, Weldon formed the Congressional Fire Services Caucus shortly following his arrival to Capitol Hill in 1987. It quickly became the largest caucus in Congress, a position it continues to hold with over 340 members, and has served as the blueprint for establishing other caucuses on Capitol Hill. Throughout his career, Congressman Weldon championed issues of importance to the fire and emergency services, including the creation of the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program and the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant Program, and reallocation of broadcast spectrum for public safety use. As vice-chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, the Congressman worked to ensure the needs of our nation’s fire and emergency services were represented within the Department of Homeland Security. “I had the privilege of working with Curt for 12 years on fire service issues and I will be forever grateful for his unwavering support and commitment to CFSI and our mission,” said CFSI Executive Director Bill Webb. “We look forward to paying fitting tribute to our leader of the last 20 years at this year’s dinner.” For additional details about the event, visit the CFSI website at www.cfsi.org or call 202-371-1277. Seating is still available Source: CFSI Members of Congress Join Congressional Fire Services Caucus Leadership Senator Chris Dodd (CT), Senator Susan Collins (ME), Congressman Peter King (NY) and Congresswoman Jo Ann Emerson (MO) have been selected as co-chairpersons of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus, filling four vacancies in leadership following the 2006 Congressional elections. They will join veteran caucus leaders Senator John McCain, Senator Joe Biden, Congressman Steny Hoyer and Congressman Rob Andrews in educating their congressional colleagues about the challenges facing our nation’s first responders during the 110th Congress. The largest caucus in Congress with over 300 members, the Congressional Fire Services Caucus is a bipartisan caucus dedicated to increasing awareness on Capitol Hill about the challenges and needs of our nation’s firefighters and rescue personnel. Founded by Congressman Curt Weldon in 1987, the Caucus has played a major role in enacting legislation benefiting our nation’s first responders, most notably the FIRE Act, SAFER and legislation reallocating broadcast spectrum for public safety use. The four new caucus leaders will bring to the Caucus leadership a broad range of expertise and leadership on homeland security issues. Elected to Congress in 1981, Senator Chris Dodd serves as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs. In 2001, he was selected as a co-recipient of the Congressional Fire Services Institute’s Legislator of the Year for his work on the FIRE Act. He continues his efforts in the Senate, advocating for increased funding for the program, while also calling for increased support for the SAFER program. He has also been very supportive of programs conducted by both CFSI and the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation on Capitol Hill. Senator Susan Collins, elected to the Senate in 1996, is the ranking member of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Prior to the 2006 elections, Senator Collins was the Chairperson of the Committee and worked closely with the national fire service organizations on a range of legislative issues addressing the reorganization of the Department of Homeland Security and first responder grant programs. She is also a member of the Senate Committee on Armed Services. Like Senator Collins, Congressman Peter King is the ranking member of the House Committee on Homeland Security. As former chairman of the committee during the 109th session, Congressman King developed a strong working relationship with the fire service organizations, seeking their input on legislation pending in his committee that impacted first responder readiness. Congresswoman Jo Ann Emerson entered Congress in 1997, winning the seat once occupied by her late-husband Congressman Bill Emerson, the 1995 CFSI Legislator of the Year. A member of the House Committee on Appropriations and former Chairperson of the House Rural Caucus, Congresswoman Emerson brings to the Caucus leadership a profound understanding of homeland security issues, particularly as it relates to rural communities. “The most important element in the selection of these four new leaders is their reputation for working in a bipartisan spirit on first responder issues,” said CFSI Executive Director Bill Webb. “Moreover, each of them have a history of working with the fire organizations in Washington and have always been willing to listen to our concerns. CFSI looks forward to working with them and the veteran leaders of the caucus during the 110th session.” Source: CFSI Nominations for Paul S. Sarbanes Fire Service Safety Leadership Award Currently Being Accepted - Deadline February 23, 2007 (Washington, DC) The Congressional Fire Services Institute (CFSI) is currently accepting nominations for the inaugural Senator Paul S. Sarbanes Fire Service Safety Leadership Award. The award is sponsored by CFSI and the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, with corporate support from State Farm Insurance and VFIS. Presented annually at the National Fire and Emergency Services Dinner, the award honors a fire service organization for leadership in promoting and supporting firefighter health and safety initiatives at the local, state, or national level. Named after former United States Senator Paul S. Sarbanes (MD), a former chairman of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus, the award is a tribute to the Senator for his tireless efforts during his 36-year career, in support of our nation’s fire and emergency services personnel, including introducing legislation that established the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial in Emittsburg, Maryland. The award presentation will take place on March 29th at the 19th Annual National Fire and Emergency Services Dinner, in Washington, DC. The most prestigious event in the fire and emergency services, the dinner draws over 2,000 state and national fire service leaders and features speakers from both Capitol Hill and the Administration. Nominations for the award are due on Friday, February 23, 2007. For more information about the Senator Paul S. Sarbanes Fire Service Safety Leadership Award and the 19th Annual National Fire and Emergency Services Dinner and Seminars, please visit our website at www.cfsi.org. To download an application for the award please visit: http://www.cfsi.org/Paul%20Sarbanes%20Application%20Form.doc Source: CFSI FEMA Job Fair Draws 700-Plus Candidates FEMA on Thursday hosted more than 700 job candidates at a Federal Career Intern Program (FCIP) job fair in Washington D.C. In addition to helping better position FEMA as a federal employer of choice, the job fair served as an excellent example of how FEMA is teaming its personnel resources and expertise from across the agency—includingsecurity, facilities management, public affairs, and human resources—to facilitate a well-coordinated and effective job fair. The day-long recruitment event resulted in the screening of 500 applicants and the certification of some 200 qualified job candidates for 50 positions in FEMA’s FCIP, which is a comprehensive, entry–level, professional, full-time employment and career development program. Attending the event was the department’s new Deputy Chief Human CapitalOfficer Gregg Pelowski and Director of Human CapitalServices and Accountability Eugenio Ochoa Sexton. “The FEMA job fair was a well-orchestrated event,” said Pelowski, adding, “There are many common positions throughout the DHS components, such as program analyst, contracting, human resources, and information technology specialist, where certification list sharing of pre-screened and qualified employees could help fill placement needs across the department and further capitalize on our economies of scale.” Source: DHS DHS’ major programs are in the chips But some in Congress question support for first responders The executive branch and key leaders in the House and Senate all are backing increased funding for the Homeland Security Department in the fiscal 2008 budget, and the coming months of hearings and votes will determine which individual programs will prevail. The Office of Management and Budget has provided thousands of words and dozens of charts describing its proposal for how an additional $1 billion of homeland security funding should best be spent. DHS’ IT budget, meanwhile, essentially stays the same, dropped by a negligible $44 million out of a $4.1 billion request. The administration pegged its request for overall gross discretionary funding at $37.7 billion, an 8 percent increase from 2007. The request excludes Coast Guard pensions and other funds, which would boost total DHS spending to $46.4 billion. DHS technology outlays come both in the form of individual projects with an especially high IT content, and in overall department spending that boosts tech both directly and via shared projects such as networks as well as human resources and accounting systems. Border programs figured high on the list of favored projects (see chart), with the flagship SBINet and U.S. Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology projects slated for special attention. Some other programs appeared to languish or evaporate in the draft budget proposal. Close to home? Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.), chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, criticized the budget in a statement backing restoration of grant funds for first responders. “The president is further proposing elimination of funding for the Metropolitan Medical Response System, which ensures state medical systems are prepared to handle a significant disaster, including an act of bioterror,” Lieberman said. House Homeland Security Committee chairman Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) echoed Lieberman’s criticisms in a hearing with Homeland Security secretary Michael Chertoff. Citing the state and local grant program cuts, Thompson said in a statement that, “I am concerned that this proposed budget is passing the buck of homeland security to state and local agencies.” Thompson directed his staff to compile a report on gaps in DHS spending that highlighted “budget shortfalls” in areas such as first-responder grants, development of registered traveler programs, IT research and cybersecurity. Chertoff’s budget analysis in effect contradicted the Democratic lawmakers’ position that total state and local grant funding had withered. Chertoff’s testimony highlighted the $1 billion newly allocated for the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Public Safety Interoperability grant program. He also pointed to increases in dozens of other IT projects, some in the very arenas that the Democrats said had been reduced. Both interpretations were factually correct but relied on different interpretations of the data. Apart from the partisan clamor, the budget documents do show trends toward the higher spending that characterizes major integration programs and an emphasis on commercial technology rather than research tools, analysts said. James Carafano, senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation, noted that the several large system integration programs in the department likely would experience substantial initial expenditures before delivering services. “When you are moving from the conceptual stage to the integration stage, as in the case of SBINet and other major systems integration projects, about 20 percent of the cost is at the front end,” Carafano said. Ray Bjorklund, vice president for market intelligence and chief knowledge officer of Federal Sources Inc., identified another subtle shift in the DHS technology spending outlook: one toward the use of more mature, off-the-shelf systems. Bjorklund cited projects such as the two flagship border programs as well as the Citizenship and Immigration Services IT reforms, credentialing and screening activities as examples of tech programs that will rely on commercial products. “Chertoff has stated that he favors risk-based management as a tool for making technology decisions,” Bjorklund said. “Saying that the department increasingly is favoring the use of commercial software and technologies is not saying that those projects will be easy. Look at the example of the FBI’s [failed] Virtual Case File project. These are not nontrivial projects.” By Wilson P. Dizard III, GCN Staff Source: GCN Who's the boss of $1B interoperability fund? 02/16/07 -- 02:45 PM The Feb. 12 memo was addressed to Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., in response to her request for further information about the fund. DHS said in a Feb. 5 fact sheet released with its fiscal 2008 budget request that it will be co-administering the interoperability grants program with the Commerce Department. However, according to the CRS memorandum, the department’s authority over the $1 billion fund is not yet established. The funding is to be administered by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, and no memorandum of understanding exists at this time between DHS and the NTIA on administration of the program, CRS said. The fund is being created through the auction sale of radio spectrum required under the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005. While most of the proceeds will go to the U.S. Treasury to offset the deficit, $1 billion is designated for grants to be distributed for acquiring, deploying and training for interoperable communications systems for public safety agencies. Furthermore, Congress approved a provision in a separate bill, the Call Home Act of 2006, stating that the interoperability grants program must receive no less than $1 billion by Sept. 30, 2007. The DHS fiscal 2008 budget request has provoked debate because it reduces first responder grants to $2.2 billion. While some might argue that the $1 billion interoperability fund is intended to compensate for that reduction, this might not happen because there is no requirement for the $1 billion to be made available in fiscal 2008, CRS said. Alice Lipowicz is a staff writer for Government Computer News’ affiliate publication, Washington Technology. Source: GCN Arizona Firefighters’ Response Times Are Lagging Firefighters are one of the first lines of response in any disaster, but a new study suggests budget cuts are responsible for slowing response times in Mesa, Arizona, and surrounding areas. Is it happening in your area too? The Associated Press is reporting that “reaching the scene in less than the national average of four minutes is increasingly difficult for firefighters in Mesa, which has been plagued by budget problems.” The report says Mesa firefighters hit the national standard of a four minute response time in 61 percent of calls. Nationally, the goal is 90 percent. But that’s not the only problem, AP says. According to the report, response times in Mesa have spiked by 27 seconds over the past two years. The average response time is 3 minutes, 56 seconds. And the problem isn’t limited to Mesa, AP says. In several departments across the Valley area of the state, emergency response times have inched up each year. Phoenix, for example, meets the national goal just 40 percent of the time, AP says. To read the full article, click here: http://www.kold.com/Global/story.asp?S=6105179 Source: USFA Indiana Ponders Standardized Emergency Code As much of the country brushes itself off after yet another round of wild winter storms, officials in Indiana are considering adopting a standardized emergency code to prevent post-storm confusion. According to an article by Jeff Neumeyer on the Indiana News Center website, emergency preparedness officials are arguing for a standardized emergency code. In Indiana, he says “sometimes it seems there are as many emergency codes as there are counties. There are those like Adams with colors, in Allen County they use the numbering system, with levels one, two and three, and in the City of Ft. Wayne, they use neither.” "It’s keep it simple; just use plain language,” Bernie Beier, a local Homeland Security Director told him. State Senator Tom Wyss told Neumeyer the State Homeland Security Department hopes to come up with a standardized code for all 92 counties within a couple of months. Wyss says counties won’t be forced to adopt the code, but they’ll be strongly encouraged to do so.To read the full article, click here: http://www.indianasnewscenter.com/Story.aspx?type=ln&NStoryID=5200 Source: Disaster Resource Guide The United States Fire Administration (USFA) has received notice of the following firefighter fatalities: The United States Fire Administration (USFA) has received notice of the following firefighter fatality: Name: Theodore "Ted" Abriel Fire Department: Albany Fire Department Incident Description: Firefighter Abriel had responded with his rescue squad to a working multi-unit residential fire when while searching the sixth floor for victims, Abriel collapsed. Fellow firefighters immediately began CPR and called for paramedics to respond to the apartment. Firefighter Abriel was transported to Albany Medical Center but in spite of all efforts to resuscitate him, he passed away from his injuries. Funeral Arrangements: 1000hrs 02/24/2007, at the St. Pius X Church, 23 Crumite Road, Loundonville, NY. Memorial Fund Contact and Address: Those wishing to remember Ted and his family may send a contribution to the Ted Abriel Memorial Fund at the Albany Fireman's Federal Credit Union, 532 Central Avenue, Albany, NY 12206. Tribute is being paid to Firefighter Theodore "Ted" Abriel at http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/fireservice/fatalities/ The United States Fire Administration (USFA) has received notice of the following firefighter fatality: Name: Jeff Murray Fire Department: Sharon Township Fire Department Incident Description: Firefighter Murray responded to the station at approximately 1600hrs for an emergency medical call. Murray stayed at the station and was on standby, manning the radios and also shoveling snow. Shortly thereafter, Firefighter Murray returned to his residence and at approximately 2100hrs experienced a heart attack. The fire department responded to Murray's residence, he was treated and transported to the hospital, but passed away. Funeral Arrangements: 02/18/2007 Memorial Fund Contact and Address: Firefighter Jeff Murray Fund, (Any) First Merit Bank, 1310 Sharon Copley Rd., Wadsworth, OH 44281. (330 239-2231 Tribute is being paid to Firefighter Jeff Murray at http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/fireservice/fatalities/ |
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