ADVOCACY
 IAEM Position Statement: General Principles Affecting Bills To Strengthen FEMA (06/06/06) click for link
IAEM Position Statement: Citizen Preparedness Policy (06/06/06) click for link
IAEM submitted a letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs in support of the nomination of R. David Paulison as the Under Secretary for Federal Emergency Management at the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security. click for link
The full U.S. House Appropriations Committee has completed its deliberations on the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security appropriations bill. In a "managers" amendment passed by the full committee, an additional $6 million in Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) funding was added to the Homeland Security Subcommittee's mark-up of $180 million. This brings the total appropriation for EMPG in the House to $186 million, a $16 million increase over the Administration's request.
IAEM and a number of its partners have sent joint letters to the U.S. Senate and House Appropriations Subcommittees on Homeland Security, requesting an increase in Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) funding. Download Senate letter. Download House letter.
IAEM members responded to association alerts and made contacts to their Senators requesting that they include increasing the funding for Emergency Management Performance Grants (EMPG) on their individual priority list - and that they sign the letter to Chairman Gregg and Ranking Member Byrd being circulated by Senators Voinivich, Akaka, Collins, and Lieberman.
The Senate letter requested an increase to $235 million for EMPG. (The FY 2006 appropriation was $185 million, which was reduced by an across-the-board cut to $183.1 million. The President's request for Fiscal Year 2007 cut EMPG to $170 million. The Senate letter requests restoring the reductions and adding $50 million to begin addressing the shortfall.)
Forty-one Senators signed the letter. This letter is no guarantee that the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, chaired by Sen. Gregg of New Hampshire, will include an increase in EMPG funds when they mark up in May or June; however, it is extremely helpful. If your Senators are on the list of those who signed, please contact their offices and thank them for signing the letter and recognizing the importance of EMPG to state and local emergency managers.
IAEM Submits Statement for the Record to the U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security on the DHS Fiscal Year 2007 Budget. (03/17/06) Each year, as part of our U.S. legislative efforts, we provide a statement for the record on the budget request of the Department of Homeland Security to the U.S. House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security. This year's statement focuses on Emergency Management Performance Grants (EMPG). This statement will be provided to the Members of the Subcommittees and their staff and will be printed in an official volume by the Subcommittee. The House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittees on Homeland Security traditionally limits the witnesses on the budget request to the DHS witnesses, but other parties may submit written statements if in by the deadlines (March 16 for House and April 3 for Senate). Download IAEM statement.
Last year, many IAEM members contacted their Members of Congress, and we were successful in getting funding for Emergency Management Performance Grants (EMPG) raised from $170 million to $185 million and retained in a separate account. The amount was later lowered by an across-the-board reduction to $183.1 million. However, even after Hurricane Katrina, the President’s budget request for FY 2007 cut EMPG funding to $170 million. The deadline for House Members to submit their FY 2007 priority letters to the Appropriations Subcommittees on Homeland Security letters is Mar. 16, and the deadline for Senators is Apr. 3. Some Members want all information a week before the submission date. Once again, it is going to be a very tough budget year, and Members of Congress are going to have to hear from their states and districts that this funding is important. click for details
IAEM joined 38 organizations in support of the ENHANCE 911 Act, specifically the grant program authorized by that legislation. See the press release from the National Emergency Number Association. Congress recognized the needs of today’s 9-1-1 system by passing the ENHANCE 911 Act of 2004, which authorizes the creation of a national 9-1-1 program office and up to $250 million per year for grants to upgrade enhanced emergency communications services. Yet, to date no monies have been appropriated to fund the provisions in the ENHANCE 911 Act. It is essential that Congress recognize the critical role that 9-1-1 plays in all emergencies and as a vital homeland security asset by providing funding for the ENHANCE 911 Act.
IAEM has issued a news release responding to the White House report, The Federal Response to Hurricane Katrina: Lessons Learned, stating that it contains recommendations that may significantly change the relationships between local, state and federal governments in emergencies. The fact sheet issued by the White House indicates that the 125 specific recommendations to the President have been reviewed by relevant departments and agencies and “will now enter an implementation process.” Although hurricane season is fast approaching, a rush to implement some of these recommendations would greatly concern emergency managers. click for link
IAEM has issued a news release responding to the proposed cuts in Emergency Management Performance Grants (EMPG) in the FY 2007 budget requests for the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security. The program was recently cut by approximately $13 million in the DHS 2007 budget proposals. These cuts came even after the glaring failures of coordination and collaboration during the federal, state and local response to the catastrophic events along the Gulf Coast. click for link
On Jan. 16, the National Homeland Security Consortium, of which IAEM is a member, sent recomendations to DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff that included a series of principles that the consortium believes DHS should adopt through the Preparedness Directorate. These principles include the adoption of an all-hazards approach, reflecting all threats and risks, natural, madmade and technological alike, including acts of terrorism. The consorium also stressed that state, territorial, local, tribal and private sector emergency response professionals must be involved in the full life cycle of any policy, strategy and guidance development related to national preparedness efforts. The consortium further addressed the problem of a lack of internal coordination within DHS regarding document review and comment periods, resulting in tight deadlines that hinder effective local, state, federal and private sector collaboration. Download letter to Secretary Chertoff.
Successful response to disasters ranging from hurricanes to terrorism requires serious teamwork. On the disaster team, it is the role of local government emergency managers to call the plays and provide the framework for the supporting roles of state and federal partners. In fact, for the play to work, we fully expect our state and federal partners - DHS and FEMA - to be in the right place at the right time with the right resources when the disaster response goes beyond our local capabilities. Now is the time to strengthen FEMA before another catastrophic event. For IAEM recommendations,
IAEM Opposes Restricted Access to Weather Data (05/26/05 ) Letter sent 05-26-2005 to Senators Stevens and Inouye regarding S.786. click for link
IAEM 2005 Legislative Positions
At its 2005 Mid-Year meeting, IAEM finalized its legislative positions for this year. The positions can be viewed or downloaded by clicking here.
IAEM President Dewayne West Testifies (4/15/2005)
On Apr. 8, 2005, IAEM President Dewayne West testified before the House Appropriations Committee regarding the DHS budget. IAEM seeks support for EMPG & HMGP funding. For more information, click here.
IAEM Statement for the Record on DHS Appropriations (05/16/04)
IAEM President Daryl Lee Spiewak submitted a Statement for the Record to the
Subcommittee on Homeland Security, Committee on Appropriations
United States Senate
on the Appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security for 2005 on May 16, 2004. It is available here.
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