[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 80 (Monday, May 15, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6649-S6650]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                               DISASTERS

  Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, last Friday, President Clinton declared a 
major disaster for the State of Mississippi, due to damage resulting 
from severe storms, flooding, and related problems, weather problems 
that occurred on May 8 and during the days following. This declaration 
is deeply appreciated by the people of Mississippi and the State of 
Mississippi because very severe damage has occurred in our State as all 
of us know who had an opportunity to watch television and read about 
the devastating floods that occurred all across the gulf coast, from 
New Orleans to Mobile and beyond. Included in this area of severe 
weather damage was my State of Mississippi. All of the coast counties 
and some of those counties that are more inland received severe damage.
  This declaration makes it possible now for the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency, led by James Lee Witt, to provide private, 
individual assistance to those disaster victims who qualify under 
Federal legislation. The letter also states that additional public 
assistance may be added at a later date.
  It is my understanding that the Governor's office and his staff are 
working with Federal agents at this time in Mississippi, to try to 
ensure that all possible assistance, emergency and otherwise, is made 
available to these disaster victims. I commend the Governor and his 
staff for the fine work they are doing.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent a copy of the President's 
letter to our Governor, Kirk Fordice, be printed at this point in the 
Record.
  There being no objection, the letter was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                              The White House,

                                         Washington, May 12, 1995.
     Hon. Kirk Fordice,
     Governor of Mississippi,
     State Capitol, Jackson, MS.
       Dear Governor Fordice: As requested, I have declared a 
     major disaster under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief 
     and Emergency Assistance Act (the Stafford Act) for the State 
     of Mississippi due to damage resulting from severe storms, 
     tornadoes, and flooding on May 8, 1995, and continuing. I 
     have authorized Federal relief and recovery assistance in the 
     affected area.
       Individual Assistance will be provided. Public Assistance 
     may be added at a later date, if warranted. Consistent with 
     the requirement that Federal assistance be supplemental, any 
     Federal funds provided under the Stafford Act for Public 
     Assistance will be limited to 75 percent of the total 
     eligible costs in the designated areas.
       The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will 
     coordinate Federal assistance efforts and designate specific 
     areas eligible for such assistance. The Federal Coordinating 
     Officer will be Mr. Michael J. Polny of FEMA. He will consult 
     with you and assist in the execution of the FEMA-State 
     Disaster Assistance Agreement governing the expenditure of 
     Federal funds.
           Sincerely,
                                                     Bill Clinton.

  Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, this also brings to mind legislation that 
I introduced recently to bring under the purview of the Public Safety 
Officers Benefits Act the employees of FEMA, the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency, as well as employees of State and local emergency 
management and civil defense agencies.
  Senators may not realize this, but State and local police officers, 
firefighters, State and local rescue squads [[Page S6650]] and 
ambulance crews, Federal law enforcement officers and firefighters, are 
all covered under the Public Safety Officers Benefits Act, which 
provides death benefits and permanent disability benefits for those who 
are injured with some traumatic injury while in the line of duty.
  Excluded under this act are those who work for civil defense agencies 
and the employees of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. This had 
been brought to my attention a few years ago, and during the 
confirmation hearings in our Governmental Affairs Committee of James 
Lee Witt, the current FEMA Director, I asked him his reaction to 
legislation that would expand coverage of this act and his responses 
were very favorable.
  I introduced the legislation. It was not adopted in the last 
Congress, but I have recently reintroduced the bill and it is now 
pending in the Senate as S. 791. I hope Senators will take a look at 
this bill and consider cosponsoring the legislation, or supporting its 
passage.
  I am today sending a letter to all Senators, inviting their attention 
to this legislation and the circumstances of it. The enactment of this 
bill will provide these civil defense employees and emergency 
management employees with the same kind of assurance that others who 
are similarly employed will have, should death or disabling injury 
result from the performance of their duty. Their families would receive 
survivor benefits, and they could be made eligible for disability 
benefits.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent a copy of my ``Dear 
Colleague'' letter to which I have referred be printed at this point in 
the Record.
  There being no objection, the letter was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                                  U.S. Senate,

                                     Washington, DC, May 15, 1995.
       Dear Colleague: I recently introduced S. 791, a bill to 
     extend coverage under the Public Safety Officers Benefits Act 
     to employees of the Federal Emergency Management Agency 
     (FEMA) and employees of State and local emergency management 
     and civil defense agencies.
       The Public Safety Officers Benefits Act provides benefits 
     to the eligible survivors of a public safety officer whose 
     death is the direct result of a traumatic injury sustained in 
     the line of duty. The Act also provides benefits to those 
     officers who are permanently and totally disabled as the 
     direct result of a catastrophic personal injury sustained in 
     the line of duty.
       The Act now covers State and local law enforcement officers 
     and fire fighters, Federal law enforcement officers and fire 
     fighters, and Federal, State, and local rescue squads and 
     ambulance crews. However, an employee of a State or local 
     emergency management or civil defense agency, or an employee 
     of FEMA who is killed or permanently disabled performing his 
     or her duty in responding to a disaster is not covered under 
     the Act.
       Enactment of S. 791 will remedy this situation by extending 
     the Act to those employees. This will ensure that the 
     survivors and family members of an employee killed in the 
     line of duty will receive benefits and that an employee 
     permanently and totally disabled as a result of injury 
     sustained in the line of duty will also receive disability 
     benefits of the Act.
       During his confirmation hearing in the last Congress, FEMA 
     Director James Lee Witt said that emergency management and 
     civil defense employees put their lives on the line just 
     about every time they respond to an event. Enactment of this 
     legislation will provide them with some assurance that, 
     should death or disabling injury result from the performance 
     of their duty, their families will receive survivor benefits 
     or they will receive disability benefits.
       If you would like to cosponsor this bill, please have your 
     staff contact Michael Loesch at 4-7412.
           Sincerely,
                                                     Thad Cochran,
                                                     U.S. Senator.

  Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Thomas). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.

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