[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 97 (Wednesday, July 17, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6956-S6957]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. FEINGOLD (for himself and Ms. Collins):
  S. 2746. A bill to establish a Federal Liaison on Homeland Security 
in each State, to provide coordination between the Department of 
Homeland Security and State and local first responders, and for other 
purposes; to the Committee on Governmental Affairs.
  Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, I rise today with my colleague from 
Maine to introduce legislation to improve and streamline Federal 
support for first responders. Our proposal will also provide an avenue 
for our first responders, our fire fighters, law enforcement, rescue, 
and emergency medical service, EMS, providers, to help Federal agencies 
and the new Department of Homeland Security improve and coordinate 
existing programs and future initiatives.
  The President has proposed a massive shift in the Federal Government 
by creating a new Department of Homeland Security. While Washington 
will surely be shaken up by this restructuring, nobody will feel the 
impact of this shift more than those on the front lines, our law 
enforcement, firefighters, rescue workers, EMS providers, and other 
first responders.
  I am concerned that as the proposed Department of Homeland Security 
moves forward, one of the most important functions has not received 
enough consideration, supporting first responders.
  A recent editorial by Amy Smithson, the Director of the Chemical and 
Biological Nonproliferation Project at the Henry L. Stimson Center, 
which was published in the New York Times, illustrates that even 
without this massive re-organization, Washington must do a more 
effective job in targeting the resources to the training and equipment 
programs that our communities need.
  Ms. Smithson details how Washington has already shifted key training 
and equipment programs for firefighters, police, paramedics, and others 
from the Defense Department to the Justice Department and now on to the 
Federal Emergency Management Agency.
  While these first responders are the most important people in any 
emergency, they received just $311 million of the more than $9.7 
billion in counter-terrorism spending in 2001.
  While I commend the Administration for raising the funding dedicated 
to first responders for 2003 fiscal year to $5 billion, I share Ms. 
Smithson's concern that with the new layers of bureaucracy and 
reorganization, that number could shrink significantly.
  Providing resources is not the only answer. These resources need to 
be dedicated to those programs that meet the needs of the first 
responders serving our communities.
  The Federal agencies in the Department of Homeland Security must 
listen to the priorities of our communities. After all, the needs of 
first responders vary between regions, as well as between rural and 
urban communities. In Wisconsin, I have heard needs ranging from 
training to equipment to more emergency personnel in the field, just to 
name a few.

  We must listen to our law enforcement officials to identify which 
programs most effectively help them protect our communities. We must 
listen to our firefighters and fire chiefs to identify which programs 
most effectively prevent and respond to disasters.
  Once we have identified these programs and perceived needs, the 
Federal agencies under the New Department of Homeland Security must 
coordinate their activities in an effective manner.
  In the case of EMS providers, more than five Federal agencies 
currently support EMS services, but they lack coordination and the 
necessary input from our local EMS providers. Earlier this year, 
Congress approved legislation, sponsored by the Senator from Maine and 
myself, that would improve coordination between these services.
  We must ensure that the agencies within the Department of Homeland 
Security promote this same kind of coordination and not fall into the 
trap of five separate initiatives to address the same problem.

[[Page S6957]]

  Our legislation, the First Responder Support Act will promote 
effective coordination among Federal agencies under the Department of 
Homeland Security and ensure that our first responders, our 
firefighters, law enforcement, rescue, and EMS providers, can help 
Federal agencies and the new Department of Homeland Security improve 
existing programs and future initiatives.
  Our proposal establishes a Federal Liaison on Homeland Security in 
each State, to provide coordination between the Department of Homeland 
Security and State and local first responders. This office will serve 
not only as an avenue to exchange ideas, but also as a resource to 
ensure that the funding and programs are effective. For example, they 
can help ensure that State and local priorities are matching up with 
those set out at the new Department. They can also identify areas of 
Homeland Security in which the Federal and State or local role is 
duplicative and recommend ways to decrease or eliminate unneeded 
resources.
  It would also direct the agencies within the Department of Homeland 
Security to coordinate and prioritize their activities that support 
first responders, and at the same time, ensure effective use of 
taxpayer dollars.
  As part of this coordination, the First Responders Support Act 
establishes a new advisory committee of those in the first responder 
community to identify and streamline effective programs.
  I am submitting this proposal in the hope that the Committee charged 
with creating the new agency will consider it during their mark up of 
any legislation. I recognize, however, that this consideration does not 
prejudge which committee will be charged with oversight of this new 
department.
  We must be aggressive in seeking the advice of our first responders, 
and helping them to attain the resources that they need to provide 
effective services. They are on the front lines, and deserve our 
support. In almost any disaster, the local first providers and health 
care providers play an indispensable role. If the Department of 
Homeland Security is to be effective, we need to ensure that the 
resources are delivered to the front line personnel in an effective and 
coordinated manner. I urge my Colleagues to join me in cosponsoring 
this proposal and support our first responders.
                                 ______