Homeland Security Secretary Backs Portman Bill to Support First Responders: “I Hope It Passes”

Washington, DC -- At a Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC) hearing this morning, Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson endorsed bipartisan legislation introduced by Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) that is designed to help make Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) more efficient and effective, saying "I hope it passes." The legislation - called the National Urban Search and Rescue Response System Act - would strengthen the efficiency and effectiveness of FEMA's disaster assistance capabilities and programs and provide Task Force Member the protections they are long overdue. The bill also codifies protections for the search and rescue teams that respond to national emergencies such as 9/11, or Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy, making sure that the private citizens who leave their jobs to help fellow citizens in the affected areas are guaranteed their jobs when they return. Task Force 1 located in Dayton, Ohio responded to all of these events. The bill was approved by HSGAC on a bipartisan basis in May. Portman announced today he will seek a Senate floor vote on the measure this week.

Excerpts of his remarks can be found below and a full video can be found here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ie4YrksxewM&feature=youtu.be.

Senator Portman: "There is legislation that we've worked on thanks to Secretary Johnson bringing it to us. FEMA wants us very much to codify and help protect some of our urban search and rescue volunteers. FEMA task forces around the country rely on firefighters and other experts to come together and form these task forces. We're really proud of our task forces in Ohio. And so we wrote legislation which was reported out of the committee unanimously on May 25th with the support of FEMA and the administration. Ranking Member Carper is a cosponsor, Senator Booker is a cosponsor, they both agreed to try to help get this thing done. We've now had it on the floor for a while with no success getting what's called a hotline, meaning getting everyone to approve it, since it is non-controversial. I'm announcing today that I plan to go on the floor and offer it to unanimous consent because we cannot figure out who is blocking it. We can't imagine someone would want to block this.

"On 9/11 I was here. My wife was visiting, a rare visit to Washington actually and 9/11 hit. She got the last rental car out of Enterprise out of Washington and drove straight home to be with our kids. And as she was driving on a lonely highway in Pennsylvania, Ohio Task Force 1 was coming the other way and lights were flashing and she recognized them. And they were driving into danger. I've known a lot of the men and women involved with that task force including men who went that day and made that trip who did go into harm's way. They deserve this protection. This protects their job when they get back and protects them from liability, it protects them from their insurance, its just common sense stuff. One, I want to thank the International Association of Firefighters, I want to thank FEMA and others who have endorsed this and supported this and helped us to move it. But let's get this done. We cannot wait until another Congress. FEMA actually came originally to this Congress about 10 years ago on this issue and said we wanted to codify it. So, Secretary Johnson, thanks for your support of it. I hope that we can move it forward. Do you have any comments on that, Secretary Johnson, this morning?"

Secretary Johnson: "Senator, I am familiar with the legislation. I know FEMA is very supportive of it. I hope it passes."

NOTE: The National Urban Search and Rescue Response System Act (S. 2791) would improve the National Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) Response System by clarifying existing workers compensation and liability protections, allowing for the election of benefits, extending reemployment rights to System members when deployed as federal volunteers, allowing for the reimbursement for employees filling positions of system members, and requiring the FEMA Administrator to develop a comprehensive plan to finance and replace equipment, as recommended by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO).

A FEMA report found that 11 percent or greater of each search and rescue task force is comprised of non-affiliated members, who are not employed by a sponsoring or participating agency. Instead, they are private citizens employed as medical doctors, engineers, and heavy riggers, who bring unique and specialized skill sets necessary to rescue survivors in times of disaster. Without the extension of reemployment rights for System members, non-affiliated members risk losing their regular jobs upon returning from deployment, which has occurred after previous disasters such as Hurricane Katrina. Since 9/11, task force teams have been required to prepare to respond to all-hazards, including Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosive (CBRNE) incidents, and were appropriated additional funds to purchase equipment to provide that capability. GAO recently found that the System's CBRNE equipment is reaching its life-cycle expiration and other critical equipment is outdated. FEMA does not have a plan to replace System equipment. This bill authorizes funding to maintain this critical capability.

Read this original document at: http://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=40F898EF-0F8E-441C-B7BA-89004C0C9228