[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 102 (Thursday, June 19, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5825-S5826]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      NOMINATION OF HARVEY JOHNSON

  Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, on April 18, I announced my intention to 
object to any unanimous-consent request for the Senate to take up the 
nomination of Harvey E. Johnson who has been nominated by President 
Bush to serve as Deputy Administrator of the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency. I did so because, prior to his confirmation as 
Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Michael Chertoff told 
me in my office that if confirmed he would move expeditiously to 
implement the National Emergency Technology Guard--NET Guard--program. 
Unfortunately, Secretary Chertoff had failed to honor that pledge.
  However, I am pleased to say that this morning the Department of 
Homeland Security has finally issued a solicitation for applications 
for a NET Guard pilot program, effectively beginning the implementation 
process. It is years late, but at last the Department is moving forward 
with this critical program.
  In light of this action, I will no longer object to any unanimous-
consent request for the Senate to take up Mr. Johnson's nomination. I 
will, however, continue to closely monitor DHS's actions on NET Guard.
  I ask unanimous consent that a copy of the Department of Homeland 
Security's press release announcing the pilot program be printed in the 
Record.

[[Page S5826]]

  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

 FEMA Announces Solicitation to Pilot Citizen Corps National Emergency 
                  Technology Guard (NET GUARD) Program

       Washington.--The Department of Homeland Security's Federal 
     Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced today $320,000 
     is available in Fiscal Year (FY) 2008 to pilot, test, and 
     develop tools for a potential new Citizen Corps (CC) National 
     Emergency Technology Guard (NET GUARD) Program. NET Guard 
     teams will be comprised of volunteers with information 
     technology (IT) and communications expertise to assist States 
     and localities in responding to and recovering from incidents 
     that cause significant damage or destruction to IT and 
     communications infrastructure. Teams will be a local asset, 
     managed at the local level, and deployed in response to a 
     request from local or State authorities.
       This competitive pilot program will award funds to four 
     jurisdictions. To be eligible to apply, local government 
     applicants must be located in one of the 2008 DHS Urban Area 
     Security Initiatives jurisdictions and must have a Citizen 
     Corps Council and programs supported by emergency management. 
     Additional eligibility criteria are included in the 
     solicitation announcement. Beginning June 18, 2008, eligible 
     government entities may apply through the Grants.gov portal, 
     accessible on the Internet at http://www.grants.gov.
 Applications can be received no later than 11:59 PM EST July 
     2, 2008.
       Citizen Corps is FEMA's grassroots comprehensive strategy 
     to actively involve the full community in preparing and 
     building resilience through participation with emergency 
     management in planning, prevention, mitigation, response and 
     recovery.

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