[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 123 (Wednesday, September 25, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1649]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         HOMELAND EMERGENCY RESPONDERS ORGANIZATION (HERO) ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. ALCEE L. HASTINGS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 24, 2002

  Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the 
HERO Act, the Homeland Emergency Responders Organization Act.
  This Act will establish the Office of National Preparedness within 
the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The HERO Act will improve the 
ability of first responders to prepare for and respond to terrorist 
attacks by getting grants to them directly through this new Office.
  In the past several months, I've received numerous letters and calls 
from state and community leaders on the critical issue of homeland 
security. Two overriding themes have surfaced again and again:
  We must allocate more resources to homeland security.
  And, those resources must go directly to cities and other local 
governments.
  I believe that the best ideas on how to make the hometown more secure 
come from the hometown.
  The HERO Act is a federal grant program that will improve the 
readiness of first responders at both the local and state levels. Since 
it utilizes an existing agency--FEMA--and its regional offices, federal 
grants will get to those who need them most, when they need them most--
NOW!
  The Director of the new Office will make grants available to first 
responders through each of FEMA's 10 regional offices. Each of these 
regional offices serves several states, as well as Puerto Rico, the 
Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana's. 
Eligibility for grants will be based on criteria such as population 
density and proximity to international borders.
  Dispersing funds directly to first responders, like the Broward 
County Sheriff's Office or the Hollywood, Florida Police Department, 
will enable local communities to concentrate on their highest 
priorities--training, purchasing communications equipment, or upgrading 
emergency operating centers.
  The new Office will also distribute grants to each of the 50 states. 
The state grants can be used--to establish or upgrade state-wide 
emergency notification systems, plan terrorism response exercises, or 
to coordinate inter- and intra-state antiterrorism programs.
  First responders in cities and towns across America need our help to 
make the homeland more secure. They, in fact we, can't wait for a new 
agency to be approved, and then created, before we take the first steps 
towards a more secure homeland. Local communities need our help and 
support now.
  I am looking forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of 
the aisle to move this bill as quickly as possible. Time is of the 
essence. Let's make the homeland more secure.

                          ____________________