| IAEM and NACo raise post-disaster funding issue
The letter reads as follows (verbatim): “We are writing on behalf of the Nation’s elected county officials and the city and county emergency managers to urge that your Committee support including legislative language in the FY 2009 Appropriations Bill for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that will prohibit any expenditure of funds to support the Principal Federal Official (PFO) position in a Stafford Act declared disaster or emergency. “The FY 2008 Appropriations Bill for DHS (P.L. 110-161) included under Section 541 of the General Provisions the following legislative language: “However, the President’s Budget Request for FY 2009 strikes this provision; therefore, we urge that prohibition language be included again in this year’s DHS Appropriations bill. We also urge that report language be included directing DHS to strictly adhere to the prohibition. “This is an important issue and we would appreciate your continued support. During Congressional hearings regarding the failures of coordination during Hurricane Katrina, there were numerous references to the fact that the dual existence of a PFO as well as a Federal Coordinating Officer (FCO) led to ambiguities of authority and responsibility which often severely hampered response as well as recovery efforts. Our members want the Federal Coordinating Officers to have the authority to make decisions that we can act upon and not worry about ‘second-guessing’ by an additional level of authority. “Under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act the President appoints the Federal Coordinating Officer to represent him in partnership with a State Coordinating Officer (SCO) appointed by the Governor of the affected state. For the Secretary to appoint a PFO to represent him is not only dysfunctional in terms of organizational structure, (that is who is in charge), but also seriously marginalizes the position of the person appointed by the President. “Despite the clear statutory authority of the FCO, the Secretary appointing a Principal Federal Official intentionally or inadvertently gives the mistaken impression that this official is in charge of the disaster response and recovery. “For decades the position of FCO has been effective in guiding the response and recovery efforts in time of disaster. This effectiveness has been enhanced in the past few years by the creation of a professional, full-time FCO cadre. Inserting a non-statutory, redundant and very confusing additional level of federal representation would cause serious problems. “We respectfully request your assistance in continuing this limitation on the appointment of Principal Federal Officials.”
•Date: 22nd April 2008• Region: US •Type: Article •Topic: DR general
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