[House Report 111-346]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
111th Congress Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
1st Session 111-346
======================================================================
REDUNDANCY ELIMINATION AND ENHANCED PERFORMANCE FOR PREPAREDNESS GRANTS
ACT
_______
December 1, 2009.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the
State of the Union and ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. Thompson of Mississippi, from the Committee on Homeland Security,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.R. 3980]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Homeland Security, to whom was referred
the bill (H.R. 3980) to provide for identifying and eliminating
redundant reporting requirements and developing meaningful
performance metrics for homeland security preparedness grants,
and for other purposes, having considered the same, report
favorably thereon without amendment and recommend that the bill
do pass.
CONTENTS
Page
Purpose and Summary.............................................. 2
Background and Need for Legislation.............................. 2
Hearings......................................................... 2
Committee Consideration.......................................... 2
Committee Votes.................................................. 3
Committee Oversight Findings..................................... 3
New Budget Authority, Entitlement Authority, and Tax Expenditures 3
Congressional Budget Office Estimate............................. 3
Statement of General Performance Goals and Objectives............ 4
Congressional Earmarks, Limited Tax Benefits, and Limited Tariff
Benefits....................................................... 4
Federal Mandates Statement....................................... 4
Advisory Committee Statement..................................... 4
Constitutional Authority Statement............................... 5
Applicability to Legislative Branch.............................. 5
Section-by-Section Analysis of the Legislation................... 5
Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported............ 6
Committee Correspondence......................................... 8
Purpose and Summary
The purpose of H.R. 3980 is to provide for identifying and
eliminating redundant reporting requirements and developing
meaningful performance metrics for homeland security
preparedness grants, and for other purposes.
Background and Need for Legislation
The Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006
(PKEMRA, P.L. 109-295), and the Implementing Recommendations of
the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 (9/11 Act, P.L. 110-53) require
the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to develop
performance metrics for its homeland security grant programs.
These performance metrics are used by FEMA to identify national
preparedness levels and gaps, and assess the capabilities built
and sustained at the State and local levels with federal
homeland security funds. Since FEMA is still unable to
determine the Nation's overall preparedness or how homeland
security grants have built the necessary capabilities to
prepare for, protect against, and respond to an act of
terrorism, H.R. 3980 is needed to make these determinations.
Hearings
No hearings were held on H.R. 3980, however, the Committee
held oversight hearings.
On October 27, 2009, the Subcommittee on Emergency
Communications, Preparedness, and Response held a hearing
entitled ``Preparedness: What has $29 billion in homeland
security grants bought and how do we know?'' The Subcommittee
received testimony from Hon. Timothy Manning, Deputy
Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department
of Homeland Security; Ms. Kathy Crandall, Director, Office of
Homeland Security & Justice Programs, Franklin County, Ohio;
and Mr. David Maxwell, Director, Arkansas Department of
Emergency Management.
The hearing revealed that FEMA's efforts to implement the
PKEMRA and 9/11 Act performance metrics-related requirements
remain fragmented and poorly integrated. As a result, Mr.
Cuellar introduced H.R. 3980 on November 2, 2009.
Committee Consideration
The Subcommittee on Emergency Communications, Preparedness,
and Response considered H.R. 3980 on November 3, 2009, and
forwarded the measure to the Full Committee for consideration
with a favorable recommendation, by voice vote.
H.R. 3980, to provide for identifying and eliminating
redundant reporting requirements and developing meaningful
performance metrics for homeland security preparedness grants,
and for other purposes, was ordered to be reported to the House
with a favorable recommendation by voice vote.
The Committee adopted the measure, without amendment, by
unanimous consent.
The Committee met on November 17, 2009, to consider H.R.
3980, and ordered the measure to be reported to the House with
a favorable recommendation, amended, by voice vote. The
Committee took the following actions:
The Committee adopted the measure, without amendment, by
unanimous consent.
Committee Votes
Clause 3(b) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of
Representatives requires the Committee to list the recorded
votes on the motion to report legislation and amendments
thereto.
No recorded votes were requested during consideration of
H.R. 3980.
Committee Oversight Findings
Pursuant to clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules of the
House of Representatives, the Committee has held oversight
hearings and made findings that are reflected in this report.
New Budget Authority, Entitlement Authority, and Tax Expenditures
In compliance with clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules
of the House of Representatives, the Committee finds that H.R.
3980, the Identifying Redundancies and Developing Performance
Metrics Act, would result in no new or increased budget
authority, entitlement authority, or tax expenditures or
revenues.
Congressional Budget Office Estimate
The Committee adopts as its own the cost estimate prepared
by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to
section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974.
November 19, 2009.
Hon. Bennie G. Thompson,
Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 3980, the
Redundancy Elimination and Enhanced Performance for
Preparedness Grants Act.
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Daniel
Hoople.
Sincerely,
Douglas W. Elmendorf.
Enclosure.
H.R. 3980--Redundancy Elimination and Enhanced Performance for
Preparedness Grants Act
CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 3980 would have no
significant cost over the next five years. Enacting this
legislation would not affect direct spending or revenues.
H.R. 3980 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and
would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal governments.
The bill would direct the Federal Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA) to develop plans to eliminate redundant rules,
regulations, and requirements related to reporting by grant
recipients of the State Homeland Security Grant Program, the
Urban Area Security Initiative funding, and other programs
identified by the agency. FEMA also would be required to submit
plans for developing and improving performance metrics and a
general assessment of the goals and performance of these
programs. Reports would be submitted to the Congress no later
than 120 days after enactment and every two years thereafter.
Based on the costs of similar administrative requirements,
CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 3980 would have a
negligible impact on federal spending; any additional spending
would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Daniel Hoople.
This estimate was approved by Theresa Gullo, Deputy Assistant
Director for Budget Analysis.
Statement of General Performance Goals and Objectives
Pursuant to clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII of the Rules of the
House of Representatives, H.R. 3980 contains the following
general performance goals, and objectives, including outcome
related goals and objectives authorized.
H.R. 3980 would direct FEMA to work with State and local
stakeholders to identify and eliminate redundant grant
reporting requirements. FEMA will also develop a strategy, with
timelines, for establishing performance metrics for its
homeland security grants. FEMA is also directed to complete a
program assessment of its homeland security grants in order to
improve the agency's performance, productivity, and
accountability to the taxpayers. The plan required by H.R. 3980
must be submitted to the appropriate committees of Congress as
defined in Title XX of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6
U.S.C. 601). The plan must be submitted within 120 days
following the enactment of the bill. FEMA is also required to
submit biannual updates in order for Congress to maintain
proper oversight.
Congressional Earmarks, Limited Tax Benefits, and Limited Tariff
Benefits
In compliance with rule XXI of the Rules of the House of
Representatives, this bill, as reported, contains no
congressional earmarks, limited tax benefits, or limited tariff
benefits as defined in clause 9(e), 9(f), or 9(g) of the rule
XXI.
Federal Mandates Statement
The Committee adopts as its own the estimate of Federal
mandates prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget
Office pursuant to section 423 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform
Act.
Advisory Committee Statement
No advisory committees within the meaning of section 5(b)
of the Federal Advisory Committee Act were created by this
legislation.
Constitutional Authority Statement
Pursuant to clause 3(d)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules of the
House of Representatives, the Committee finds that the
Constitutional authority for this legislation is provided in
Article I, section 8, clause 1, which grants Congress the power
to provide for the common Defense of the United States.
Applicability to Legislative Branch
The Committee finds that the legislation does not relate to
the terms and conditions of employment or access to public
services or accommodations within the meaning of section
102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act.
Section-by-Section Analysis of the Legislation
Section 1. Short title
This section states that this act may be cited as ``The
Redundancy Elimination and Enhanced Performance for
Preparedness Grants Act''.
Section 2. Identification of Reporting Redundancies and Development of
Performance Metrics for Homeland Security Preparedness Grant
Programs
This section amends Title XX of the Homeland Security Act
of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) by adding a new section 2034,
Identification of Reporting Redundancies and Development of
Performance Metrics.
The section requires that the Federal Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA) Administrator submit a report to Congress on a
plan for the State Homeland Security Grant Program and the
Urban Areas Security Initiative. The report must be submitted
to Congress not later than 120 days after the date of enactment
of the Act and by October 1 every two years thereafter. The
report must include the following: Identify redundant reporting
requirements, rules and regulations for grant recipients and a
plan for eliminating such redundancies; a plan for developing
and improving the performance metrics required under Section
2022 (a) (4) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002; a detailed
assessment of each grant program, that must be developed in
coordination with State, local, tribal and territorial
governments. The assessment must contain: the program's
purpose, objectives and performance goals; an assessment of the
quality of the program's performance metrics; a summary of the
program's strengths and weaknesses and how they contribute to
the programs' successes and failures; a description of any
current trends, developments and emerging conditions that may
warrant a change of mission for the program; an identification
of best practices in the program that resulted in positive
outcomes; recommendations for program modification that will
improve the program; a summary of key results of the program
assessment; and an assessment of the quality of customer-
service given to recipients of the program.
Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported
In compliance with clause 3(e) of rule XIII of the Rules of
the House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by
the bill, as reported, are shown as follows (new matter is
printed in italic and existing law in which no change is
proposed is shown in roman):
HOMELAND SECURITY ACT OF 2002
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) * * *
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is
as follows:
* * * * * * *
TITLE XX--HOMELAND SECURITY GRANTS
* * * * * * *
Subtitle B--Grants Administration
* * * * * * *
Sec. 2023. Identification of reporting redundancies and development of
performance metrics.
* * * * * * *
TITLE XX--HOMELAND SECURITY GRANTS
* * * * * * *
Subtitle B--Grants Administration
* * * * * * *
SEC. 2023. IDENTIFICATION OF REPORTING REDUNDANCIES AND DEVELOPMENT OF
PERFORMANCE METRICS.
(a) In General.--The Administrator shall, for grants under
sections 2003 and 2004 and any other grants specified by the
Administrator, submit a report to the congressional homeland
security committees by not later than 120 days after the date
of the enactment of the Redundancy Elimination and Enhanced
Performance for Preparedness Grants Act, and by October 1st
every 2 years thereafter, that--
(1) identifies redundant rules, regulations, and
requirements for reporting by recipients of such
grants, and includes a plan for eliminating such
identified redundancies and requirements;
(2) includes a plan for developing and improving the
performance metrics required under section 2022(a)(4)
for such grants; and
(3) includes an assessment of each program under
which such grants are awarded.
(b) Plan Requirements.--Each plan under subsection (a)--
(1) shall be developed in coordination with State,
local, tribal, and territorial governments; and
(2) shall include a proposed timeline for actions to
implement the plan.
(c) Program Assessment Requirements.--Each program assessment
under subsection (a)(3) shall include--
(1) a brief summary of the program purposes,
objectives, and performance goals, and of the key
findings of the assessment;
(2) an assessment of the quality of the program's
performance metrics, and the extent to which necessary
performance data are collected;
(3) a summary of how the program's strengths and
weaknesses are impeding or contributing to its failures
or successes, including reasons for any substantial
variation from the targeted level of performance of the
program;
(4) a description of the extent to which any trends,
developments, or emerging conditions affect the need to
change the mission of the program or the way that the
program is being carried out;
(5) an identification of the best practices used in
the program for allocating resources in an efficient
and effective manner that resulted in positive outcomes
and the key reasons why such practices resulted in
positive outcomes;
(6) recommendations for program modifications to
improve the results that the program achieves;
(7) a summary of key results of the program
assessment that support maximizing the amount of funds
appropriated for the program; and
(8) an assessment of the quality of customer service
offered to recipients of funds under the program and a
strategy for improving such service.
(d) Congressional Homeland Security Committees Defined.--In
this section the term ``congressional homeland security
committees'' means the Committee on Homeland Security of the
House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security
and Governmental Affairs of the Senate.