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Congress is
often criticized
for failing to
act in the best
interests of
Americans.
However in the
wake of 9/11,
Congress acted
swiftly and in
good faith to
create the
Department of
Homeland
Security (DHS),
an entity
designed to
address the new
era of security
and safety
concerns America
faced.
Constructing a
new department
of the size and
scope of DHS was
a daunting but
necessary
undertaking, and
one marked by
many challenges.
DHS has enjoyed
many successes
in its short
history,
including
thwarting
several
terrorist plots
due to
intelligence
agencies sharing
information and
the cooperative
efforts of law
enforcement
officials. This
type of
collaborative
effort was made
possible by the
new department.
Unfortunately,
all of the
transitions and
efforts have not
been
successful.
The most visible
failure has been
that of the
Federal
Emergency
Management
Agency (FEMA)
following
Hurricane
Katrina last
year. By all
accounts, FEMA
is not
functioning as
it should and
it’s imperative
that Members of
the House of
Representatives
work together to
address this
urgent problem
immediately.
Mother Nature
isn’t waiting on
us to figure out
the solution; we
are in the midst
of hurricane
season, and
another Katrina
or Rita could be
only days away.
The dramatic
differences
between the
threats posed
just 10 years
ago versus those
we face in the
21st century
require a new
approach to
emergency
management. The
number of
changes needed
are so many and
the
characteristics
of success so
different that
it is impossible
to achieve the
scale of
effectiveness
required for a
21st century
approach to
emergency
management
without altering
the way we are
conducting the
business of
emergency
response in the
United States.
After Katrina,
the scale of
failure evident
showed us that
any solution
must be
multi-faceted,
as response
failed at
several levels
and in many
ways. Making
FEMA an entity
capable of
rendering the
response
Americans need
following
catastrophic
disasters
requires a
comprehensive
solution.
The National
Emergency
Management
Reform and
Enhancement Act,
H.R. 5351,
represents
comprehensive
legislation that
is strongly
backed by the
first responder
community. FEMA
must be
strengthened,
given a more
accurate mission
and the
resources and
authority to
carry it out and
its efforts must
be integrated
with those of
local
authorities who
respond to
disasters.
During
catastrophic
events, the head
of FEMA must
report directly
to the
President. The
person in the
position must be
a well qualified
emergency
management
professional,
qualified not
only to
administer a
sizable office
but also to draw
from the
knowledge and
experience that
comes from a
career on the
front lines
while doing so.
FEMA’s role must
be elevated and
its resources
augmented so
that it is able
to carry out its
mission.
Additionally,
FEMA’s resources
must be
protected, and
the Secretary of
the Department
of Homeland
Security must
not be permitted
to reprogram any
of FEMA’s funds
without
Congressional
approval. It is
imperative that
FEMA remain
within the
Department of
Homeland
Security so that
it can rely on
the resources
DHS offers, in
much the same
way the United
States Coast
Guard does.
FEMA must have
responsibility
for preparedness
(planning for
potential
disasters,
including
coordinating
federal efforts
with that of
local
authorities),
mitigation
(taking measures
to lessen the
severity of harm
caused by a
disaster),
response
(responding to a
disaster after
it occurs) and
recovery
(rebuilding in
the wake of a
disaster). It is
integral to the
success of
coordinated
emergency
response that
preparedness,
mitigation,
response and
recovery be
integrated under
one office.
The Senate voted
in July
overwhelmingly
to adopt an
amendment to the
FY07 Homeland
Security
Appropriations
Act. The
amendment, which
is similar to
provisions in
H.R. 5351,
strengthens FEMA
while keeping it
within DHS.
The Senate’s
action in
approving this
bipartisan
amendment is
important. The
amendment
protects FEMA as
a distinct
entity within
DHS and, like
H.R. 5351,
reunites
preparedness and
response,
effectively
enhancing our
Nation’s ability
to prepare for,
prevent,
respond to,
recover from and
mitigate the
effects of
catastrophic
events.
The failure of a
competing
amendment to
remove FEMA
shows that this
is not a viable
solution. As the
Hart-Rudman
Commission
concluded prior
to 9/11, FEMA is
integral to the
foundation of
the Department
of Homeland
Security.
It also shows
that the efforts
of first
responders to
lobby their
senators and
representatives
are working.
First responders
have been
calling, writing
and visiting
their
representatives
to explain the
importance of
keeping FEMA a
distinct entity
within DHS. This
approach has not
only been vetted
with first
responders, but
through every
step of the
drafting
process, first
responders were
crucial, active
participants in
crafting the
language.
As the commander
of the King
County Sheriff
’s Office SWAT
Team, I was
given the
authority to
make life and
death decisions
by my superiors;
it was my
responsibility.
It was my job.
What we’re doing
in this bill is
the same —
giving authority
back to the
regional
personnel making
similar
decisions. It’s
why our bill
strengthens the
role of regional
directors, using
a bottom-up
approach that
puts the power
with the local
first responders
who will respond
in the event of
a disaster.
We need a 21st
century approach
to emergency
management that
responds better
and faster to
the wider
variety of
threats we are
faced with
today, whether
it is a Category
5 hurricane or a
biological
attack by
terrorists. We
owe it to the
American people
to respond to
those threats
with an
overwhelming
capability that
draws on the
best of our
entire country.
With hurricane
season upon us,
coordinated,
effective and
timely emergency
response depends
on it.
RF
Dave Reichert
represents the
8th District of
Washington in
the U.S. House
of
Representatives.
He serves as the
Chairman of the
Subcommittee on
Emergency
Preparedness,
Science and
Technology House
Committee on
Homeland
Security. |
