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Gave It All On
9-11-2001
Current
Threat Level
The Question Is - Should FEMA Be Removed From DHS Control?
- Minnesota Fire Service News Editorial
- ARTICLE #1 From the July 17, 2002, hearing before the Select Committee.
- ARTICLE #2 Support the Oberstar-Costello-Roemer Amendment to Retain an Independent FEMA!
- ARTICLE #3 OBERSTAR REACTS TO HURRICANE RECOVERY EFFORTS
- HF 3659 September 7, 2005 (10:13 AM)
Top Minnesota Fire Service News Editorial
http://minnesotafireservice.com/
September 5th 2005
Jorgenson
Congressman James Oberstar was correct in July of 2002 and is correct today. Too bad nobody listened to this great statesman who has great insight and wisdom. http://www.oberstar.house.gov/ Below are excerpts of three articles of interest.
In the reorganization after September 11th, FEMA joined 21 other agencies in the new Homeland Security Department, stripped of the Cabinet rank that had allowed it to report directly to the president. In further department moves in July, FEMA lost its historic mission of working with state and local governments on preemptive preparedness plans. With terrorism prevention identified as Homeland Security's top mission, natural disaster preparedness slipped in attention and resources.
FEMA at one time was a very powerful organization, with a staff of highly qualified, experienced, seasoned people and then came 9/11.
ARTICLE #1
Top
From the July 17, 2002, hearing before the Select Committee.
REP. DeLAURO: Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, and let me say thank you to my colleagues for your vast knowledge in this area and your thoughtful process in going through this. And, Mr. Oberstar, your historical perspective is always awesome. And, Mr. Young, I've had the opportunity just recently, as you know, to visit the wildlands of Alaska. Truly beautiful.
Let me ask a question with regard to FEMA. You've recommended keeping FEMA as a separate agency but would coordinate with a DHS in the event of a terrorist attack. How do you think that moving FEMA into the Department of Homeland Security would affect our ability to respond to hurricanes, other natural disasters, and how do you envision the FEMA-DHS coordination being carried out?
REP. YOUNG: Well, it's our opinion FEMA's very parallel to the Coast Guard.
REP. DeLAURO: Is that right?
REP. YOUNG: They have a lot in characteristic as far as their mission. And if the mission is properly spelled out into law, I don't think there'll be that much difficulty. And I do think they will cooperate. FEMA responded and has responded immensely well in the last eight months to flood and actually the world towers and et cetera. I just worry again about them being absorbed into a new agency and being swallowed and redirected into just really supposedly what is the mission of the homeland security, and not what we originally intended them to do.
And so our recommendation, I do think they can coordinate, I do think they will cooperate, and I still think they should be able to respond immediately to the disasters that occur every day. If they're not able to do that and they're redirected over here to watch out for boll weevils coming out of some other country close by that's been imported by a terrorist, then I think we've got some problems.
REP. OBERSTAR: If I might supplement the chairman's splendid response, FEMA started out as the civil defense agency.
REP. DeLAURO: Right.
REP. OBERSTAR: And then moved into, as the Cold War wound down, assuming broader responsibilities as our nation's premier disasters assistance and response agency. To move it into this new Department of Homeland Security without a clearly defined homeland security role is, my judgment, a mistake. We have not seen a delineation of what is homeland security compared to response to floods, hurricanes, blizzards, earthquakes, tornadoes. You know, when your home is underwater up to the eaves are you going to wonder, where is FEMA? Are they on some mission looking for terrorists or are they going to be on a mission looking for your lost children and rescuing you from the rooftop of your home?
=======================
ARTICLE #2
Top
United
States House
of Representatives
Committee
on
Transportation and Infrastructure
Room
2165 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington,
D.C. 20515
July 25, 2002
Diminish FEMA?
NO
Undercut FEMA?
NO
Retain an Independent
FEMA? YES
Support the Oberstar-Costello-Roemer Amendment to Retain an Independent FEMA!
Dear Colleague:H.R. 5005, the bill to establish the Department of Homeland Security, threatens to disrupt the work of one of our most respected federal agencies, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The bill, as reported by the Select Committee, transfers this effective agency to the Department of Homeland Security and splits it in two. H.R. 5005 threatens to undercut FEMA’s role as our Nation’s premier first-responder agency, one that has aided tens of thousands of Americans devastated by natural disasters, such as fires, floods, earthquakes, and hurricanes.
The headline of the attached article from yesterday’s Washington Post sounds the alarm: “FEMA’s Influence May Be Cut Under New Department.” In that article, James Lee Witt, the well-respected former Director of FEMA, argues that the Select Committee’s plan to move “the entire agency into the new department will be a mistake.” (emphasis added).
The Oberstar-Costello-Roemer amendment retains FEMA as an independent agency so that it can continue as the lead agency responsible for natural disaster preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation. It also ensures that FEMA will coordinate its many activities with the Department of Homeland Security.
Maintaining FEMA’s independence will ensure that our Nation’s increased focus on terrorism preparedness will be in addition to, and not at the expense of, FEMA’s natural disaster response programs.
Support the Oberstar-Costello-Roemer amendment!
Member of Congress Ranking Democratic Member Ranking Democratic Member
Subcommittee on Economic
Development, Public Buildings,
and Emergency Management
=========================
ARTICLE #3
Top
Most resent Press Release 9/2/2005
For
Immediate
Release
OBERSTAR REACTS TO
HURRICANE
RECOVERY EFFORTS
"I am pleased that Congress has acted quickly
in passing a $10.5 billion emergency supplemental bill to assist the
Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) and the other
federal agencies that have the enormous task of helping people in
Hurricane Katrina is being
characterized as
the worst natural disaster to ever hit the
"Those refugees, who have lost their homes
and everything they own, are living in disgusting, inhumane conditions
without food, water or medicine. Instead of getting better, the
situation is getting worse and people are facing dire, dangerous
circumstances. Because they did not get help quickly enough,
people
are literally dying in the streets," said Oberstar. "I ask the
same
question that many Americans are asking, 'How can this be happening in
the
When FEMA was transferred from an
independent
agency to a bureau within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in
2002, Oberstar expressed serious concern that natural disaster relief
efforts would not be a priority for the new Department.
"After we have restored some semblance of
humanity for the thousands of victims of Hurricane Katrina, it is
imperative that Congress take a long, hard look at the federal response
to this natural disaster. In the aftermath of this disaster
and FEMA's
response effort, we must immediately determine whether the transfer of
FEMA to DHS has affected its ability to carryout its critical mission,"
Oberstar said. "In addition, this natural disaster makes
clear how
vital infrastructure is to our nation and its people. The failure
to
adequately invest in our infrastructure sacrifices lives, damages our
economy, and costs billions to rebuild."
For many years, Oberstar, as the Ranking
Democrat of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure,
has repeatedly called for increased funding for the operations,
maintenance, and construction of Army Corps of Engineers' facilities,
including the levees of
"There will be a very lengthy recovery period
for the entire Gulf Coast region, and I ask citizens to open their
hearts and wallets to help the refugees regain a semblance of
normalcy
as they face being displaced from their homes and schools for months -
if not years - to come," Oberstar added. "I commend the University of
Minnesota-Duluth's announcement today that it will adopt an emergency
admissions policy to assist students who were already admitted or
enrolled at colleges and universities affected by Hurricane
Katrina. I
also commend the individual efforts being made by Minnesotans. My
friend, Jeno Paulucci, has donated 100,000 bottles of water that is on
the way to
Those interested in providing assistance to
the relief efforts can go to the link on Congressman Oberstar's website
(www.oberstar.house.gov),
which provides information on how to make donations to help the
hurricane victims.
Click here to down load a copy of HF 3659
F:\M9\OBERST\OBERST_027.XML H.L.C.
September 7, 2005 (10:13 AM)
(Original Signature of Member)
109TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION H. R.
To reestablish the Federal Emergency Management Agency as an independent
establishment in the executive branch that is responsible for the Nation’s
preparedness and response to disasters, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Mr. OBERSTAR (for himself and Ms. NORTON) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on
A BILL
To reestablish the Federal Emergency Management Agency
as an independent establishment in the executive branch
that is responsible for the Nation’s preparedness and
response to disasters, and for other purposes.
1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa
2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
3 SECTION 1. FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY.
4 (a) INDEPENDENT ESTABLISHMENT.—The Federal
5 Emergency Management Agency shall be an independent
Page 2 H.L.C.
1 establishment in the executive branch that is responsible
2 for the Nation’s preparedness and response to disasters.
3 (b) DIRECTOR.—
4 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Agency shall be headed
5 by a Director, who shall be appointed by the Presi
6 dent, by and with the advice and consent of the Sen
7 ate, and who shall report directly to the President.
8 The Director of the Federal Emergency Manage
9 ment Agency shall be compensated at the rate pro
10 vided for at level I of the Executive Schedule under
11 section 5312 of title 5, United States Code.
12 (2) BACKGROUND.—The Director shall be ap
13 pointed from among persons who have extensive
14 background in emergency or disaster-related man
15 agement.
16 (3) TERM OF OFFICE.—The term of office of an
17 individual appointed as the Director shall be 5 years.
18 (c) TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONS.—There shall be
19 transferred to the Director of the Federal Emergency
20 Management Agency the functions, personnel, assets, and
21 liabilities of the Department of Homeland Security relat
22 ing to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, in
23 cluding the functions of the Department under paragraphs
24 (3) and (8) of section 430(c) and sections 502 (other than
25 paragraph (2)) and 503(1) of the Homeland Security Act
Page 3 H.L.C.
1 of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 238(c), 312, 313), the functions relat
2 ing to firefighter assistance grants under the Federal Fire
3 Prevention and Control Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. 2229 et
4 seq.), and the functions relating to emergency manage
5 ment performance grants under the National Flood Insur
6 ance Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 4001 et seq.), the Robert
7 T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act
8 (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.), the Earthquake Hazards Reduc
9 tions Act of 1977 (42 U.S.C. 7701 et seq.), and Reorga
10 nization Plan No. 3 of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.) .
11 (d) TRANSITION PERIOD.—The transfers under this
12 section shall be carried out as soon as practicable after
13 the date of enactment of this Act. During the transition
14 period, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall provide
15 to the Director of the Federal Emergency Management
16 Agency such assistance, including the use of personnel and
17 assets, as the Director may request in preparing for the
18 transfer.
19 SEC. 2. CONFORMING AMENDMENT.
20 Section 504(a) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002
21 (6 U.S.C. 314(a)) is amended is amended by striking ‘‘,
22 major disaster,’’.
23 SEC. 3. REPEALS.
24 The following provisions of the Homeland Security
25 Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 101 et seq.) are repealed:
Page 4 H.L.C.
1 (1) Section 2(11).
2 (2) Section 503(1).
3 (3) Section 507.
F:\M9\OBERST\OBERST_027.XML
F:\V9\090705\090705.025 (329297|1)
September 7, 2005 (10:13 AM)
wrjorgenGWDT
Last Updated: 2005