[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 126 (Wednesday, October 11, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10236-S10237]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   HAWAII'S PREPAREDNESS FOR A WEAPON OF MASS DESTRUCTION TERRORIST 
                                INCIDENT

  Mr. AKAKA. Mr. President, I rise to commend the joint efforts of the 
federal Department of Health and Human Services, HHS, the Honolulu 
Emergency Services Department, and Hawaii's Department of Health, and 
National Guard for establishing one of the Nation's premier weapons of 
mass destruction, WMD, containment, mitigation and response 
capabilities. As the ranking member of the Governmental Affairs 
Committee, Subcommittee on International Security, Proliferation, and 
Federal Services, I follow Federal terrorism defense programs closely, 
especially those that affect Hawaii.
  Terrorism, particularly the threat of domestic terrorism, remains at 
the forefront of concern for all of us. Although it has been 7 years 
since the terrorist bombing of the World Trade Center and 5 years since 
the destruction of the Oklahoma City Federal Building, these 
unspeakable atrocities left an indelible mark in the hearts of all 
Americans. In the intervening years, the threat of terrorism has become 
more pronounced. The National Commission on Terrorism recently 
concluded that ``. . . international terrorism poses an increasingly 
dangerous and difficult threat to America--today's terrorists seek to 
inflict mass casualties, and they are attempting to do so both overseas 
and on American soil. This was underscored by the December 1999 arrests 
in Jordan and at the U.S./Canadian border of foreign nationals who were 
allegedly planning to

[[Page S10237]]

attack crowded millennium celebrations.'' Fortunately, we have made 
signifcant strides in enhancing our defense against and reducing our 
vulnerabilities to terrorism.
  The Defense Against Weapons of Mass Destruction Act of 1996, Public 
Law 104-201, Nunn-Lugar-Domenici amendment, authorized a coordinated 
Federal response to train, equip, and otherwise enhance the capability 
of Federal, State, and local emergency ``first responders,'' e.g., 
primarily police, fire, and emergency medical officers, for terrorist 
incidents involving mass casualties, or nuclear, biological, and 
chemical weapons. Most of our current antiterrorism programs are 
outgrowths of this landmark legislation.
  More than 40 Federal departments, agencies, and bureaus have some 
role in combating terrorism. The Justice Department, through the FBI, 
is the lead Federal agency for domestic terrorism and provides on-site 
emergency law enforcement response to all incidents. However, State and 
local governments and emergency responders bear the primary 
responsibility for responding to terrorist incidents, augmented by 
Federal resources. Therefore, Federal, State, and local coordination 
and cooperation is critical to ensuring that our population centers are 
properly safeguarded. I am particularly pleased with terrorism 
preparedness efforts in Hawaii, which have been hailed by HHS as 
``exemplary'' and ``national models.''
  Two little known, but essential components of the national 
antiterrorism program and support to local communities are Civil 
Support Teams, CSTs, and Metropolitan Medical Response Systems, MMRS.
  Hawaii's Civil Support Team is one of 27 Army and Air National Guard 
CSTs that will be deployed in 26 States by the spring of 2001. Each 
team consists of 22 members who undergo 15 months of specialized 
training. Each team is equipped with a mobile analytical lab and a 
communications facility. Teams would be deployed to assist first 
responders in the event of a WMD incident. The teams, under the command 
of a State's governor, provide support to civilian agencies to assess 
the nature of an attack, provide medical and technical advice, and help 
coordinate subsequent State and Federal responses. Hawaii's Weapons of 
Mass Destruction Civil Support Team, the 93rd WMD-CST, is a composite 
Army/Air National Guard Unit, and component of the Hawaii Army National 
Guard, Headquarters, State Area Command. The team is currently 
undergoing training at Fort Leonard Wood, MO, and is expected to be 
fully trained and deployed by May 2001.
  In 1997, Honolulu was selected as one of the first 25 cities in the 
Nation to contract with HHS to develop a Metropolitan Medical Response 
System and procure essential prophylactic pharmaceuticals and 
specialized equipment. MMRS are multi-disciplinary medical teams 
consisting of physicians, nurses, paramedics, emergency medical 
technicians, and law enforcement officers, who provide initial on-site 
response and care, provide for safe patient transportation to hospital 
emergency rooms, provide definitive medical and mental health care to 
victims of various types of attack, and can prepare patients for onward 
movement to other regions, should this be required In August 2000, the 
HHS expanded Hawaii's MMRS program by directing and funding an 
assessment of the unique needs of geographically isolated jurisdictions 
and an evaluation of long-term sustainment of the MMRS. Both studies 
will serve as national models. This is a further testament of the 
quality of Hawaii's MMRS program and highly complimentary of the 
personnel involved in its development.
  Fortunately, terrorism involving the use of weapons of mass 
destruction is likely to remain rare. Nevertheless, as in the case of 
other low probability/high consequence risks, it remains a very serious 
and highly complex national concern. The precautionary safeguards we 
have taken thus far are essential and prudent, but offer no guarantees. 
We need to remain vigilant and ensure that our antiterrorism and 
counter terrorism programs continue to be properly funded, adequately 
maintained, and adjusted to meet the ever evolving threat. The American 
public demands no less.

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