[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 82 (Tuesday, June 11, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E837-E838]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2014

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. EARL BLUMENAUER

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 5, 2013

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the state of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2217) making 
     appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security for 
     the fiscal year ending September 30, 2014, and for other 
     purposes:

  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Chair, I deeply appreciate the leadership and 
insight from my dear friend and colleague from North Carolina. Your 
efforts have helped keep this country safe in the midst of ongoing 
threats both known and unpredictable.

[[Page E838]]

  An essential component of these efforts is the UASI grant program, 
which provides financial assistance to address the unique planning, 
operations, equipment, training, and exercise needs of high-threat, 
high-density urban areas.
  As you know so well, the AUSI program is critical to helping our 
cities build and sustain capabilities to prevent, protect against, 
respond to, and recover from threats or acts of terrorism.
  In my district, the Portland Urban Area has been a recipient of UASI 
grant funds since FY 2003. This critical funding has enhanced regional 
collaboration and coordination within and between responder disciplines 
and across jurisdictions.
  The Portland Urban Area is more secure as a result, but most 
certainly has further to go, and must continue its partnership with the 
UASI program.
  Problematically, Portland is no longer a recipient of UASI funding, 
with little notice that would have allowed proper planning for 
alternative methods to meet their security needs, and with little 
transparency as to why this is the case.
  The FY 2012 program funded the top 31 highest risk urban areas in the 
country. And while the FY 2013 appropriations bill funds the program at 
a nearly equal level than the year before, unfortunately it also 
contains language that limits use of the UASI funds to no more than the 
top 25 highest risk urban areas, a cap which seems arbitrary and not 
based in risk or threat data.
  This cap is having a significant impact. Important regional areas 
like Portland, Orlando, Las Vegas and New Orleans have been eliminated 
from FY13 funding despite being national centers of tourism and 
commerce.
  Under no circumstances are Portland and the other affected cities any 
less vulnerable to terrorism than they were 12 months ago.
  And in the last 12 months, the Portland Urban Area has gone from a 
ranking of 23 11 months ago, 29 one month ago, and 27 weeks ago. How 
can a city plan with such drastic changes in ranking, with little 
notice? Clearly the metrics used by DHS are flawed, or at the very 
least, are not adapted to operate within a 25-city cap.
  The federal government has a responsibility to be a partner with our 
local communities, protecting our citizens from terrorist threats, and 
moderating potential impacts from natural disasters. While diminished 
resources are a factor for all levels of government, there should be 
some certainty for our communities that the federal government will be 
a continuing partner and when.
  In the long term, I would deeply appreciate an opportunity to engage 
with this Committee, my Senate colleagues, and all local cities 
impacted, to better understand this issue, and the future of the UASI 
program.
  And in the short term, the FY 2013 appropriations for DHS included 
$188 million in discretionary homeland security grant funds. The 
Secretary has latitude to apply these funds to previously eliminated 
grant programs including the UASI program.
  I would urge the Secretary to use some of this funding to the 
jurisdictions on that have fallen below the FY13 cap. This bridge 
funding would greatly assist these communities to continue their anti-
terrorism coordination at some level while working to achieve 
sustainable funding in the years to come.
  There are also common-sense reforms that can strengthen the federal-
local partnership for the UASI program by, for example, extending the 
timeline for cities to use these grant dollars. The shifting timeline 
from 4, to 3, and now 2 years adds another layer of difficulty to 
planning and utilizing these dollars as effectively and comprehensively 
as possible.
  I sincerely appreciate the courtesy of my colleagues for taking my 
concerns into consideration and I look forward to addressing this issue 
with you in a comprehensive and thoughtful way, something you both know 
how to do so very well.

                          ____________________