[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 171 (Tuesday, November 6, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H12778-H12782]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      KIDS IN DISASTERS WELL-BEING, SAFETY, AND HEALTH ACT OF 2007

  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 3495) to establish a National Commission on Children and 
Disasters, a National Resource Center on Children and Disasters, and 
for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 3495

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Kids in Disasters Well-
     being, Safety, and Health Act of 2007''.

     SEC. 2. DEFINITION.

       In this Act, the terms ``child'' and ``children'' mean an 
     individual or individuals, respectively, who have not 
     attained 18 years of age.

     SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION.

       There is established a commission to be known as the 
     ``National Commission on Children and Disasters'' (referred 
     to in this Act as the ``Commission'').

     SEC. 4. PURPOSES OF COMMISSION.

       The purposes of the Commission are to--
       (1) conduct a comprehensive study to examine and assess the 
     needs of children as they relate to preparation for, response 
     to, and recovery from all hazards, including major disasters 
     and emergencies;
       (2) build upon the investigations of other entities and 
     avoid unnecessary duplication, by reviewing the findings, 
     conclusions, and recommendations of other commissions, 
     Federal, State, and local governments, or nongovernmental 
     entities, relating to the needs of children as they relate to 
     preparation for, response to, and recovery from all hazards, 
     including major disasters and emergencies; and
       (3) submit a report to the President and Congress on 
     specific findings, conclusions, and recommendations to 
     address the needs of children as they relate to preparation 
     for, response to, and recovery from all hazards, including 
     major disasters and emergencies.

     SEC. 5. COMPOSITION OF COMMISSION.

       (a) Members.--The Commission shall be composed of 10 
     members, of whom--
       (1) 1 member shall be appointed by the President;
       (2) 1 member, who is of a different political party than 
     that of the member appointed under paragraph (1), shall be 
     appointed by the President;
       (3) 2 members shall be appointed by the majority leader of 
     the Senate;
       (4) 2 members shall be appointed by the minority leader of 
     the Senate;
       (5) 2 members shall be appointed by the Speaker of the 
     House of Representatives; and
       (6) 2 members shall be appointed by the minority leader of 
     the House of Representatives.
       (b) Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson Selection.--The 
     Chairperson and Vice Chairperson shall be elected from among 
     members of the Commission.
       (c) Governmental Appointees.--An individual appointed to 
     the Commission may not be an official or employee of the 
     Federal Government.
       (d) Commission Representation.--The Commission shall 
     include--
       (1) representatives from private nonprofit entities with 
     demonstrated expertise in addressing the needs of children as 
     they relate to preparation for, response to, and recovery 
     from all hazards, including major disasters and emergencies; 
     and
       (2) State emergency managers and local emergency managers.
       (e) Qualifications.--Members appointed under subsection (a) 
     shall include--
       (1) individuals involved with providing services to 
     children, including health, education, housing, and other 
     social services, including grant and entitlement programs;
       (2) individuals with experience in emergency management, 
     including coordination of resources and services among State 
     and local governments, the Federal Government, and 
     nongovernmental entities;
       (3) individuals with philanthropic experience focused on 
     the needs of children;
       (4) individuals with experience in providing donated goods 
     and services, including personnel services, to meet the needs 
     of children and families as they relate to preparation for, 
     response to, and recovery from all hazards, including major 
     disasters and emergencies; and
       (5) individuals who have conducted academic research into 
     related issues.
       (f) Appointments.--All members of the Commission shall be 
     appointed not later than 90 days after the date of enactment 
     of this Act.
       (g) Initial Meeting.--The Commission shall meet and begin 
     the operations of the Commission not later than 120 days 
     after the date of enactment of this Act.
       (h) Quorum and Vacancy.--
       (1) Quorum.--A majority of the members of the Commission 
     shall constitute a quorum, but a lesser number of members may 
     hold hearings.
       (2) Vacancy.--Any vacancy in the Commission shall not 
     affect its powers and shall be filled in the same manner in 
     which the original appointment was made.

     SEC. 6. DUTIES OF COMMISSION.

       The Commission shall--
       (1) conduct a comprehensive study that examines and 
     assesses the needs of children as they relate to preparation 
     for, response to, and recovery from all hazards, including 
     major disasters and emergencies, including specific findings 
     relating to--
       (A) children's physical and mental health;
       (B) child care, including in private for-profit and 
     nonprofit settings;
       (C) child welfare;
       (D) elementary and secondary education;
       (E) sheltering, temporary housing, and affordable housing;
       (F) transportation;
       (G) entitlement and grant programs;
       (H) juvenile justice;
       (I) evacuation; and
       (J) relevant activities in emergency management;
       (2) identify, review, and evaluate existing law relevant to 
     the needs of children as they relate to preparation for, 
     response to, and recovery from all hazards, including major 
     disasters and emergencies;
       (3) identify, review, and evaluate the lessons learned from 
     past disasters and emergencies relative to addressing the 
     needs of children; and
       (4) submit a report to the President and Congress on the 
     Commission's specific findings, conclusions, and 
     recommendations to address the needs of children as they 
     relate to preparation for, response to, and recovery from all 
     hazards, including major disasters and emergencies, including 
     specific recommendations on the need for planning and 
     establishing a national resource center on children and 
     disasters, coordination of resources and services, 
     administrative actions, policies, regulations, financing, and 
     legislative changes as the Commission considers appropriate.

     SEC. 7. POWERS OF COMMISSION.

       (a) Hearings.--The Commission may hold such hearings, meet 
     and act at such times and places, and receive such evidence 
     as may be necessary to carry out the functions of the 
     Commission.
       (b) Information From Federal Agencies.--
       (1) In general.--The Commission may secure directly from 
     any executive department, bureau, agency, board, commission, 
     office, independent establishment, or instrumentality of the 
     Federal Government such information, suggestions, estimates, 
     and statistics as the Commission considers necessary to carry 
     out this Act.
       (2) Provision of information.--On request of the 
     Chairperson of the Commission, each department, bureau, 
     agency, board, commission, office, independent establishment, 
     or instrumentality shall, to the extent authorized by law, 
     provide the requested information to the Commission
       (3) Receipt, handling, storage, and dissemination.--
     Information shall only be received, handled, stored, and 
     disseminated by members of the Commission and its staff 
     consistent with all applicable statutes, regulations, and 
     Executive orders.
       (c) Assistance From Federal Agencies.--
       (1) General services administration.--On request of the 
     Chairperson of the Commission, the Administrator of General 
     Services shall provide to the Commission, on a reimbursable 
     basis, administrative support and other services necessary 
     for the Commission to carry out its duties.
       (2) Other departments and agencies.--In addition to the 
     assistance provided for under paragraph (1), departments and 
     agencies of the United States may provide to the Commission 
     such services as they may determine advisable and as 
     authorized by law.
       (d) Contracting.--The Commission may enter into contracts 
     to enable the Commission to discharge its duties under this 
     Act.
       (e) Donations.--The Commission may accept, use, and dispose 
     of donations of services or property.
       (f) Postal Services.--The Commission may use the United 
     States mails in the same manner and under the same conditions 
     as a department or agency of the United States.

     SEC. 8. STAFF OF COMMISSION.

       (a) In General.--The Chairperson of the Commission, in 
     consultation with the Vice Chairperson, in accordance with 
     rules agreed upon by the Commission, may appoint and fix the 
     compensation of a staff director and such other personnel as 
     may be necessary to enable the Commission to carry out its 
     functions, in accordance with the provisions of title 5, 
     United States Code, except that no rate of pay fixed under 
     this subsection may exceed the equivalent of that payable for 
     a position at level V of the Executive Schedule under section 
     5316 of title 5, United States Code.

[[Page H12779]]

       (b) Staff of Federal Agencies.--Upon request of the 
     Chairperson of the Commission, the head of any executive 
     department, bureau, agency, board, commission, office, 
     independent establishment, or instrumentality of the Federal 
     Government may detail, without reimbursement, any of its 
     personnel to the Commission to assist it in carrying out its 
     duties under this Act. Any detail of an employee shall be 
     without interruption or loss of civil service status or 
     privilege.
       (c) Consultant Services.--The Commission is authorized to 
     procure the services of experts and consultants in accordance 
     with section 3109 of title 5, United States Code, but at 
     rates not to exceed the daily rate paid a person occupying a 
     position at level IV of the Executive Schedule under section 
     5315 of title 5, United States Code.

     SEC. 9. TRAVEL EXPENSES.

       Each member of the Commission shall serve without 
     compensation, but shall receive travel expenses, including 
     per diem in lieu of subsistence, in accordance with 
     applicable provisions in the same manner as persons employed 
     intermittently in the Government service are allowed expenses 
     under section 5703 of title 5, United States Code.

     SEC. 10. FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ACT APPLICABILITY.

       The provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act shall 
     apply to the Commission, including the staff of the 
     Commission.

     SEC. 11. REPORTS OF COMMISSION; TERMINATION.

       (a) Interim Report.--Not later than December 31, 2008, the 
     Commission shall submit to the President and Congress an 
     interim report containing specific findings, conclusions, and 
     recommendations required under this Act as have been agreed 
     to by a majority of Commission members.
       (b) Final Report.--Not later than 24 months after the date 
     of the enactment of this Act, the Commission shall submit to 
     the President and Congress a final report containing specific 
     findings, conclusions, and recommendations required under 
     this Act as have been agreed to by a majority of Commission 
     members.
       (c) Termination.--
       (1) In general.--The Commission, and all the authorities of 
     this Act, shall terminate 180 days after the date on which 
     the final report is submitted under subsection (b).
       (2) Records.--Not later than the date of termination of the 
     Commission under paragraph (1), all records and papers of the 
     Commission shall be delivered to the Archivist of the United 
     States for deposit in the National Archives.

     SEC. 12. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this 
     Act, $2,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008 and 2009.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton) and the gentleman from Missouri 
(Mr. Graves) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia.


                             General Leave

  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks 
and to include extraneous material on H.R. 3495.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from the District of Columbia?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, as amended, H.R. 3495 is a bill to establish a national 
commission on children's needs as they relate to all hazards, including 
major disasters and emergencies. I strongly support the creation of 
this commission because there is no doubt that in dire circumstances 
the needs of children are different from the needs of adults. This 
realization is one of the many lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina. 
Almost 5200 children were reported missing or displaced to the National 
Center for Missing and Exploited Children after Hurricane Katrina. This 
bill is a step in the right direction in identifying the needs of 
children in such conditions and deserves our support.
  Consistent with other commissions, this bill provides that the Chair 
and Vice Chair be chosen from commission members. The role of State and 
local emergency managers is acknowledged in commission membership along 
with private nonprofit organizations. The committee recognizes that 
State emergency managers and local emergency managers perform 
complementary but not identical functions and therefore recognize in a 
commission such as this it is important to have both groups 
represented. The commission will produce an interim report and a final 
report with specific recommendations which will be sent to Congress and 
the President. The commission member will serve without pay and be 
subject to the Federal Advisory Committee Act requirements. The 
amendment authorizes $2 million for fiscal years 2008 and 2009 for the 
commission work.
  I commend my good friend and colleague, the gentlewoman from Florida 
(Ms. Corrine Brown), for her diligent work on this bill. I strongly 
support H.R. 3495 and urge its passage.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GRAVES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3495, introduced by the gentlewoman from Florida 
(Ms. Corrine Brown), creates a National Commission on Children and 
Disasters. First, I thank Chairman Oberstar and Chairwoman Norton for 
working with us to improve this legislation. I believe our bipartisan 
efforts were necessary to ensure a fair and balanced commission. I 
think it has resulted in a much better legislative product.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3495 establishes a 10-member commission to examine 
the needs of children and disasters. The commission is directed to 
report its findings and conclusions and recommendations to the 
President and the Congress, as Chairwoman Norton pointed out.
  The bill specifically directs the commission to build upon the 
investigations of other entities to avoid an unnecessary duplication of 
effort. For example, last Congress the House created the Select 
Committee to Investigate Hurricane Katrina. Former Subcommittee 
Chairman Bill Shuster served on the select committee.
  In its final report, the select committee made a number of findings 
with respect to children. In response to this report, we passed the 
Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act, which included provisions 
creating a national emergency child locator center and a national 
emergency family registry and locator center.
  Finally, H.R. 3495 requires both State emergency managers and local 
emergency managers to be represented on the commission. This 
requirement ensures the representation on the commission of the people 
who may very well be responsible for implementing its recommendations.
  Mr. Speaker, I support this legislation. I encourage my colleagues to 
do the same.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield to the gentlewoman 
from Florida (Ms. Corrine Brown), the author of the bill, for such time 
as she may consume.
  Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in 
support of my bill, H.R. 3495, the KIDS WiSH Act.
  Before I start, I would like to thank Chairman Oberstar and 
Chairwoman Norton for their work in bringing this bill through the 
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. I also would like to thank 
Ranking Member Mica and Ranking Member Graves for their bipartisan 
support. Their leadership and their staff have been instrumental in 
strengthening the merits of the bill and the concept of this 
commission. Finally, I would like to thank the House leadership for 
bringing this important bill to the floor so quickly.
  The KIDS WiSH Act will establish a National Commission on Children 
and Disasters that will conduct a comprehensive study to examine and 
assess the needs of children to prepare for, respond to and recover 
from all major disasters and emergencies. The bipartisan commission 
will report to the President and Congress on their findings, 
conclusions and recommendations to address the needs of children and 
emergencies. In addition, the commission will consider the need for a 
permanent national resource center on children and disasters that will 
be a resource for emergency managers, schools, housing agencies, 
transportation entities and other relevant organizations.
  Disaster and emergencies strike all over this country, and they 
affect children in small and large numbers. This spring, Greensburg, 
Kansas, which had a population of 1,389, experienced a horrible 
tornado. Children aged 0-17 make up 25 percent of the population of 
Kansas. That translates into about 347 children who were affected. This 
may be a small number compared to Hurricane Katrina, but each of those 
children's lives were utterly changed after that one tornado.
  In the San Diego area, as a result of the recent wildfires, nearly 
850,000 people were evacuated. In California, the population is about 
26 percent children

[[Page H12780]]

0-17, so that translates to roughly 220,000 children who had to be 
evacuated. On October 24, 2007, FEMA reported that 13,000-plus 
individuals were housed in shelters. That translates to roughly 3,500 
children.
  Since Hurricane Katrina, many improvements to our emergency 
management system have been made, but there is still much work to be 
done. The basic tenet of disasters and emergencies is to ``make a 
plan.'' You hear it in public service announcements all over Florida 
and the Gulf coast, and it is written on many of the materials 
distributed by FEMA. Make a plan, make a plan.
  But, for all of that talk, we do not have a plan for children. 
Children are one of our most vulnerable populations, and their needs 
are unique and cannot be easily assumed from emergency plans for 
adults.
  Earlier this year I met with the chief of the Division of Community 
Pediatrics from the University of Florida and he brought to my 
attention that emergency evacuation equipment is often brought for 
adults, but children cannot be transported in adult equipment, and 
often that type of equipment is missed. From needles and tubing to 
oxygen masks and ventilators, children need equipment that has been 
specifically designed for their size.
  Do you know if the hospitals in your district are prepared for 
children in an emergency situation? Hospitals are just one of the many 
areas where improvements can be made for children in emergency 
situations and why the commission is needed.
  More than 400,000 children under the age of 5 lived in and were 
evacuated from counties and parishes that were declared disaster areas 
by FEMA in response to Hurricane Katrina. In addition, 1,100 schools 
were closed immediately following Hurricane Katrina. Two years later, 
only 45 percent of New Orleans schools have reopened. Finally, the most 
startling statistic from Hurricane Katrina is that 5,192 children were 
missing or displaced and it took nearly 6\1/2\ months to unite each 
child with their parent. However, the effects of disasters on children 
are not limited to events of this magnitude.

                              {time}  1415

  Additionally, in this day and age we cannot keep thinking that 
children will not be harmed in a terrorist attack. In 1995, nineteen 
children were killed and more than 80 children were injured at the 
Oklahoma City bombing.
  More than 6,000 children were in the immediate area of Ground Zero 
during 9/11, and if the attacks were more widespread, it would have 
reached over 1.2 million public school students.
  In the D.C. area we are painfully aware that during the sniper 
shooting, schools and children are not overlooked by terrorists. We 
must have a plan for children in the event of another terrorist attack.
  I have been working hard to bring this issue to light. I led 23 other 
Members to call on FEMA to have an expert on children and disasters as 
a member of the National Advisory Council. I offered an amendment to 
the fiscal year 2008 Homeland Security appropriations bill that will 
add $1 million specifically for children and disasters.
  Finally, I held an important forum with experts from emergency 
management, pediatrics and disaster recovery to discuss how to prepare, 
respond to, and recover from all hazards for children. Over 100 people 
attended this briefing to show their support for the legislation.
  As adults, we may think this is unnecessary; but once again, we must 
think how children are different. I encourage the commission to think 
outside the box. Children are a diverse group and the commission should 
remember children in the context of private schools, preschools, after-
school programs, day care facilities, pregnant women, foster children, 
and orphanages.
  Last year, Congress passed the Pets Evacuation and Transportation 
Standards Act of 2006. Congress has recognized how pets can slip 
through the cracks during an emergency, but has yet to have a plan for 
children in an emergency.
  Children should not be forced to suffer through another learning 
experience like Hurricane Katrina. Congress must look forward and 
discover a comprehensive strategy for children and emergencies that may 
happen such as pandemic flu or a terrorist attack or a major 
earthquake. A national commission is imperative to making progress.
  This commission will solidify some of the already good work that 
other organizations are doing and provide recommendations for better 
coordination at the local, State, and Federal levels.
  I also would like to thank organizations who have supported this 
bill. I want to recognize the crucial support of Mark Shriver from Save 
the Children who has led the coalition of children's advocate groups.
  Mr. Speaker, I will insert the list of groups into the Record at this 
point, and I encourage my colleagues to support H.R. 3495, the KIDS 
WiSH Act.

       Save the Children, Allergy and Asthma Network Mothers of 
     Asthmatics, American Association of School Administrators, 
     American Red Cross, Association of Maternal and Child Health 
     Programs, Catholic Charities USA, Child Welfare League of 
     America, Children's Health Fund, Habitat for Humanity, March 
     of Dimes, The Midwives Alliance of North America, National 
     Assembly on School-Based Healthcare, National Association of 
     Children's Hospitals, National Association of Emergency 
     Medical Technicians, National Association of Certified 
     Professional Midwives, National Association of School Nurses, 
     National Center for Disaster Preparedness at Columbia 
     University, Safermaternity.org, and White Ribbon Alliance.

  Mr. GRAVES. Mr. Speaker, might I inquire if Chairwoman Norton has any 
other speakers.
  Ms. NORTON. This side, I say to the Member, has no further speakers.
  Mr. GRAVES. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I want to once again thank the gentlelady 
from Florida for this very important bill. The tragedy on the gulf 
coast was a human tragedy at every level, but the most unbearable 
scenes were those of hapless children, with and without parents. It's 
almost unimaginable to understand the trauma of a child who had lost 
her parents during that time.
  The committee, our subcommittee, has indeed last year and this year, 
Mr. Speaker, passed two important bills: the Post-Katrina Management 
and Reform Act and, more recently, the Katrina and Rita Recovery Act.
  But all of this legislation still leaves the gap that the 
gentlelady's bill would address, and there was probably good reason for 
it. In a real sense, we don't know what to do yet. We know what the 
problem is. We saw the problem with our own eyes.
  Then the question becomes how do you put together what it takes to 
make sure it doesn't happen again, and the gentlelady has wisely 
decided that first we have to find out, with our bill, for a commission 
to provide us with the expertise to go further. She's done a real 
service to children of the United States of America because such a 
tragedy could happen everywhere.
  Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3495, ``Kids in 
Disasters Well-Being, Safety, and Health Act of 2007.'' My life's work 
has been to provide for a better future for the next generation, and 
H.R. 3495 is in keeping with this purpose.
  This bill ensures that children will be protected and prepared to 
respond to a disaster or other emergency by establishing a National 
Commission on Children and Disasters. This commission will provide a 
vital assessment of the needs of children before, during, and after all 
hazards, disasters, and emergencies. This bill addresses many--but not 
all--of the enhancements to preparedness for children that I have 
championed on the Committee on Homeland Security. Specifically, I have 
been exploring how to improve preparedness for children and schools 
since the committee's inception. I look forward to continuing the 
committee's work on school preparedness and working with my colleagues 
on the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on this critical 
homeland security issue.
  Mr. Speaker, in August 2005, my colleagues and I on the Committee on 
Homeland Security requested that the Government Accountability Office, 
GAO, examine the programs at the Departments of Homeland Security, 
Education, and Health and Human Services that are designed to increase 
the emergency preparedness of primary and secondary public school 
officials, teachers, and students. In 2005, I released a report 
entitled ``Reading, Writing, and Readiness: A Survey of School 
Emergency Plans in the 2nd Congressional District of North Carolina.'' 
The report highlighted the following three assessments: first, Federal 
efforts in school preparedness are uncoordinated and create confusion 
in the school community; secondly, there is a desire among schools for 
the Department of Homeland Security to take a leadership role in school 
preparedness; and

[[Page H12781]]

finally, school administrators are feeling the squeeze of Federal 
budget cuts in emergency preparedness.
  Although schools are among the safest places for our children, and 
school administrators do a great job of preparing for emergencies, we 
have evidence, both objective and anecdotal, suggesting that schools 
need more assistance to be fully prepared to respond to any serious 
crisis, including terrorism.
  As the only Member of Congress that served as a school 
superintendent, I understand the burdens faced by administrators when 
implementing emergency preparedness plans with limited resources. We 
need to continue to work to ensure that the Federal Government engages 
our communities in an effective and efficient manner to mitigate such 
burden.
  Earlier this year, I included language in H.R. 1684, the Fiscal Year 
2008 Department of Homeland Security Authorization Act, that addresses 
this critical issue. Specifically, it tasks the DHS Under Secretary for 
Policy to ensure that all policies, programs and activities developed 
by the Department and its components appropriately take into 
consideration the needs of and impact on children. Additionally, the 
Assistant Secretary would then work with the Office of Grants and 
Training in FEMA to support emergency preparedness activities for 
schools. Like the current bill, my provision raises awareness in 
Congress and within Federal agencies to ensure that the needs of 
children, schools, and other child-centered facilities are sufficiently 
understood and incorporated into Federal, State, local, and tribal 
preparedness, response, and recovery plans and activities for natural 
disasters as well as acts of terrorism.
  I am particularly pleased that H.R. 3495 establishes a National 
Resource Center on Children and Disasters, similar to the ``one-stop'' 
shop clearinghouse that Homeland Security Chairman Thompson and I 
requested from DHS Secretary Chertoff and Education Secretary 
Spellings. This resource center will be invaluable to school 
administrators as a single source for Federal grants and training 
available to develop emergency management plans at their schools and 
throughout their districts.
  I commend my colleague, Corinne Brown, for introducing this bill and 
I am looking forward to working with her to ensure that the needs of 
children are properly assessed and addressed by the Federal Government. 
I urge my colleagues to join me in this cause, and in voting in favor 
of this legislation.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3495, the 
``Kids in Disasters Well-Being, Safety and Health Act of 2007''.
  The importance of examining the special needs of children in 
preparing for, responding to, and recovering from emergencies and 
disasters cannot be overstated. Approximately one-fourth of the 
residents of areas damaged or flooded by Hurricane Katrina were under 
the age of 18. More than 400,000 children under the age of five lived 
in or were evacuated from counties or parishes declared as disaster 
areas by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (``FEMA'').
  Hurricane Katrina exposed sobering vulnerabilities in our Nation's 
ability to meet the needs of children during disasters. As a result of 
Hurricane Katrina, 5,192 children were reported missing or displaced to 
the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Stunningly, it 
took 6\1/2\ months to reunite the last child separated from her family. 
The impact of this prolonged separation on a child, compounded by the 
other hardships related to dealing with a tragedy, is indeed profound.
  In addition, 1,100 schools were closed immediately following 
Hurricane Katrina. Today, more than two years later, only 45 percent of 
New Orleans schools have reopened.
  H.R. 3495 establishes the National Commission on Children and 
Disasters (``Commission'') to address the needs of children in 
disasters.
  The purposes of the Commission are to: (1) conduct a comprehensive 
study to examine and assess the needs of children as they relate to 
preparing for, responding to, and recovering from all hazards, 
including major disasters and emergencies; (2) build upon and review 
the recommendations of other government and nongovernmental entities 
that work on issues relating to the needs of children in disasters; and 
(3) report to the President and Congress on its specific findings, 
conclusions, and recommendations.
  The Commission will investigate special needs related to children's 
health, child welfare, elementary and secondary education, affordable 
housing, transportation, and relevant activities in emergency 
mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. The Commission is 
further charged with identifying, reviewing, and evaluating the lessons 
learned from past disasters and emergencies relative to addressing the 
needs of children.
  I commend the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Brown) for introducing 
this important bill. I also thank Mark Shriver, Vice President and 
Managing Director of Save the Children, and the many children's 
advocacy groups that strongly support this legislation and have worked 
with us to bring this bill to the Floor expeditiously.
  Children are a symbol of promise and rebirth. Protecting their 
safety, well-being, and health in the wake of a disaster must be a 
critically important priority of emergency management and preparedness. 
This Commission will help advance that goal.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 3495, as amended.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support 
or H.R. 3495, the Kids in Disasters Well-Being, Safety, and Health Act 
of 2007, introduced by my distinguished colleague from Florida, 
Representative Corrine Brown. This important legislation ensures the 
protection of our nations most valuable assets, our children, during 
times of disasters.
  As the Chair of the Congressional Children's Caucus, I cannot stress 
enough the importance of this legislation. Children have specific needs 
in cases of emergency and this legislation is an important first step 
towards recognizing and addressing those needs. Special steps must be 
taken with regards to children before, after, and during all disasters 
and emergencies, including informing them what they should know in case 
of emergency and working to reunite them with their families. In the 
aftermath of the catastrophic events of Hurricane Katrina, some 5,192 
children were missing or displaced and it was not until 6 months later 
that the final children were re-united with their families. This is 
simply unacceptable. Children are not merely small adults, they are 
children. They are much more vulnerable to the health and safety 
hazards that arise during states of emergency and disasters. The 
American Academy of Pediatric reports that in times of emergencies and 
disasters:
  Children are particularly vulnerable to aerosolized biological or 
chemical agents because they normally breathe more times per minute 
than do adults, meaning they would be exposed to larger doses in the 
same period of time. Also, because such agents (e.g. sarin and 
chlorine) are heavier than air, they accumulate close to the ground--
right in the breathing zone of children.
  Children are more vulnerable to agents that act on or through the 
skin because their skin is thinner and they have a larger skin surface-
to-body mass ratio than adults.
  Children are more vulnerable to the effects of agents that produce 
vomiting or diarrhea because they have smaller body fluid reserves than 
adults, increasing the risk of rapid progression to dehydration or 
shock.
  Children have much smaller circulating blood volumes than adults, so 
without timely intervention, relatively small amounts of blood loss can 
quickly tip the physiological scale from reversible shock to profound, 
irreversible shock or death.
  Children have significant developmental vulnerabilities not shared by 
adults. Infants, toddlers and young children may not have the motor 
skills to escape from the site of a hazard or disaster. Even if they 
are able to walk, young children may not have the cognitive ability to 
know when to flee from danger, or when to follow directions from 
strangers such as in an evacuation, or to cooperate with 
decontamination.
  This legislation is an important and timely first step in addressing 
the specific needs of children by establishing the legislative branch 
the National Commission of Children and Disasters. This commission will 
better address the needs of children by identifying the specific causes 
and needs of children before, after, and during disasters as well as 
evaluating, and if necessary redressing, existing laws relevant to such 
needs. It further will evaluate lessons learned from the disasters of 
September 11th, Hurricane Rita, Hurricane Katrina, and most recently 
the California wild fires and report back to the President and 
Congress. Furthermore, this legislation directs the Secretary of Health 
and Human Services to establish a National Resource Center on Children 
and Disasters that will be responsible for creating, maintaining, and 
coordinating a database to store information relating to the needs of 
children and disseminating relevant information on such issues to all 
necessary parties.
  Madam Speaker, there is no one more valuable and more vulnerable than 
our children. As Members of the Congress, mothers, fathers, sisters, 
and brothers, it is our responsibility to ensure the protection and 
well-being of our children. This legislation is an important first step 
in ensuring the safety and protection of our nation's children in times 
of disasters. I strongly urge my colleagues to join me in supporting 
this extremely important legislation.
  Mr. STARK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of legislation 
aimed at protecting children during and after disasters. Our current 
emergency management system is not

[[Page H12782]]

prepared to meet the unique needs of children. The ``Kids in Disasters 
Well-being, Safety, and Health Act'' (H.R. 3495) represents major 
progress in fixing this unacceptable situation.
  The most important role of government is protecting the health and 
welfare of families. This is a role that the government must not 
privatize, contract out, or provide only to the wealthy and well 
connected.
  Unfortunately, as we all witnessed after Hurricane Katrina, the 
government failed miserably to protect the most vulnerable, 
particularly children. It is unclear to me whether this failure was the 
result negligence or incompetence. Perhaps it was the natural result of 
running a government using a radical ideology that believes government 
shouldn't work.
  What is clear to me is that this body has an obligation to make sure 
government works and finds ways to help families get back on their feet 
after disasters. My home state of California is no stranger to 
disasters: earthquakes, fires, flooding, and mudslides--we've got it 
all. During the last several weeks, wildfires ravaged Southern 
California. Just after the worst of the fires, 1300 childcare centers 
were closed, affecting over 16,000 children. These are children of 
first responders, teachers, and others that have to get back to work to 
make sure that the community can rebuild.
  We should know if we are doing enough to help these families. We 
should know if FEMA is doing a good job of assisting those childcare 
centers to reopen. We should know if we are doing a good job of helping 
missing children to locate their parents. Local communities and 
governments should have access to the information and resources they 
need to ensure that children's needs are taken care of.
  This bill will help to fill an enormous gap in our disaster 
preparedness system. There is currently no agency charged with 
safeguarding children in the aftermath of a disaster or coordinating 
the efforts of various levels of government. This bill will begin to 
close this gap by establishing a National Resource Center for Federal, 
State, local, and tribal governments as well as NGOs to use to address 
the needs of children before, during, and after disasters. It will also 
establish a commission to examine our past failures and make specific 
recommendations on how to correct those.
  Our children are looking to us to take action. I urge all of my 
colleagues to support this bill.
  Ms. NORTON. With no further speakers, Mr. Speaker, I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton) that the House 
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3495, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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