[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 143 (Wednesday, October 24, 2001)]
[House]
[Page H7283]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      HOMELAND SECURITY TASK FORCE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Flake). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Millender-McDonald) is 
recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about the 
Homeland Security Task Force of which the leader on this side has 
convened and of which I serve as a member of that task force.
  In preparing to meet with local municipal leaders and those agencies 
that are so critical in combatting any type of terrorist attack, I was 
encouraged on Monday when I convened a meeting in my district and met 
with 45 of those agencies. In speaking with them about the preparedness 
of cities and hospitals, schools, refineries, water agencies, postal 
services, I am convinced that we are prepared.
  Of course, there are further resources that can be put in place for 
those city governments, and there is a critical need for more training 
perhaps in small cities, where there is not a full-time person who can 
help in executing the plan that has been put in place, but in the State 
of California, the Governor has put a strategic plan in place to help 
the hospitals and to ensure that every hospital has a bioterrorism 
plan.
  We have asked now for the sheriff's department and they have 
responded with a uniform plan that is in concert and coordinated with 
city block clubs and other organizations.
  I am pleased to report to you that the water agencies have security 
on every front, especially in the State of California.
  So I say, Mr. Speaker, we are ready. The connect is there; the 
coordination is there. The execution of those plans are there.
  I would like to also inform my colleagues that FEMA has 28 Urban 
Search and Rescue Task Forces, eight of which are in California, and 
these task forces integrate the plan from the Federal down over to the 
State and then the local levels. So I will say that I am encouraged by 
this whole notion that the municipal leaders, the municipal emergency 
preparedness plan is in place, especially in California.
  I would urge all Members, though they may or may not sit on the 
Homeland Security Task Force, that they meet with their municipal 
leaders to draw from them their plan and to see whether it is 
coordinated across all of the agencies. I will say that more than 
likely they have such a plan, because with FEMA having the Urban Search 
and Rescue Task Force, I am sure that all other States have put that in 
place.
  Mr. Speaker, we are ready for any type of bioterrorism attacks from 
the Federal, State and local levels.

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