[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 10]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 14127]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   INTRODUCTION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY PREPAREDNESS, 
 RESEARCH, AND EDUCATION PROGRAM ACT OF 2008, THE DHS PREP ACT OF 2008

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. AL GREEN

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 26, 2008

  Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Madam Speaker, today, we live in a world where 
security threats have become more complex. For that reason, nurturing a 
field of educated and knowledgeable experts--trained and prepared to 
meet the security challenges before us--should be a priority of the 
United States Government. To accomplish this goal, opportunities within 
the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) should be made available for 
students to participate in programs that allow them to help develop the 
solutions to the security challenges that our Nation confronts. It is 
equally important that participating students come from diverse 
backgrounds and are truly representative of all the communities across 
our homeland.
  My legislation, the Department of Homeland Security Preparedness, 
Research, and Education Program Act of 2008, or the DHS PREP Act of 
2008, would direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to carry out a 
program for fellowships and research to enhance domestic preparedness 
and the collective response to acts of terrorism, natural disasters and 
other emergencies.
  When natural disasters such as Hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated 
the Gulf Coast region, infrastructure and the most basic services too 
many take for granted were destroyed. The Department of Homeland 
Security is overseeing efforts to rebuild public infrastructure in the 
Gulf Coast region that was devastated by natural disasters. That is 
why, during the first year of the fellowship, participants will 
undertake research specifically focused on rebuilding and recovery of 
the Gulf Coast.
  It is the aim of this legislation to allow students receiving 
fellowships from this program to work closely with the National Center 
for Natural Disasters, Coastal Infrastructure, and Emergency Management 
to strengthen our Nation's overall response to natural disasters. The 
research conducted by the fellowship participants will also reinforce 
the efforts of the Office of the Federal Coordinator for Gulf Coast 
Rebuilding at DHS. Additionally, the research conducted by the fellows 
will be shared with Congress.
  This important legislation will allow us to train experts and 
professionals to develop substantive policy solutions that will seek to 
solve the homeland security and disaster response challenges that 
confront our Nation. I ask my colleagues to support the Department of 
Homeland Security Preparedness, Research, and Education Program Act of 
2008, or the DHS PREP Act of 2008.

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