Washington Monitor

January 2007
By Aimee J. Frank, Contributing Writer
Every two years following Congressional elections, a new Congress is seated, and the 110th Congress convenes this month. According to law, any legislation not passed by the previous Congress and signed into law by the President automatically expires and must be reintroduced. Fire and EMS services saw several successes during the 109th Congress, but many bills that would benefit emergency responders were not passed, though they are expected to be reintroduced during 2007 and 2008. Among the wins and losses in 2006:

December 2006
By Aimee J. Frank, Contributing Writer
Emergency services lobbyists in Washington, DC, face two tasks as the 110th Congress is seated: Fill vacant caucus leadership positions and promote their legislative priorities.

November 2006
By Aimee J. Frank, Contributing Writer
Funding for fire and EMS grant programs was increased and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reform provisions approved under the Fiscal Year 2007 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Appropriations Act, signed into law in October. Overall funding for the agency totaled $34.8 billion, $2.3 billion more than the 2006 budget and $2.7 billion above that proposed in President George Bush’s 2007 budget, which had provided no funding for several of these programs.

October 2006
By Aimee J. Frank, Contributing Writer
A Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) spokesperson has clarified that the agency has not set a deadline by which departments must implement responder credentialing. She also said that participation will be voluntary, though non-credentialed responders may be prevented from participating in emergency response efforts.

September 2006
By Aimee J. Frank, Contributing Writer
The Senate Appropriations Committee approved a Labor and Health and Human Services (Labor-HHS) fiscal year 2007 appropriations bill that would restore funding for EMS programs eliminated under the President’s budget proposal. Under the proposed Senate bill, EMS for Children would receive $20 million in funding, up slightly from the $19.8 million appropriated for the program in 2006. Rural Hospital Flex Grants would be funded at $38.5 million, down from the $63.5 million in 2006, and Trauma/EMS, not funded at all in 2006, would receive $1 million. The Rural and Community Access to AEDs and Traumatic Brain Injury programs, eliminated in the President’s proposal, would receive $1.5 million and $8.9 million, respectively, the same amounts as were appropriated in 2006.

August 2006
By Aimee J. Frank, Contributing Writer
Thirteen bills have been introduced in both houses of Congress with the goal of reforming the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) consistent with recommendations contained in recent Congressional reports faulting the agency’s response to Hurricane Katrina. The significant differences among the bills are whether FEMA should become a separate agency or remain within DHS, with improvements.

July 2006
By Aimee J. Frank, Contributing Writer
The House of Representatives passed its version of the fiscal year 2007 Department of Homeland Security appropriation bill, which provides $32.08 billion to the agency, $1.8 billion more than the 2006 appropriation and $1.065 billion above President George W. Bush’s proposed budget.

May 2006
By Aimee J. Frank, Contributing Writer
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has created a new Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, combining functions previously spread among seven agency offices. Commissioners believe the action will result in a more effective and responsive organizational structure and promote reliable communications for national security and disaster management.

March 2006
By Aimee J. Frank, Contributing Writer
The fiscal year 2007 budget submitted to Congress by the President would increase overall homeland security spending by 1.3 percent, with two grant areas receiving significant increases, but funding for several key fire services would be reduced.

April 2006
By Aimee J. Frank, Contributing Writer
The White House released an evaluation of its own response to Katrina, admitting that the nation is not prepared and still in need of a unified response system.

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