NACo President Javier Gonzalez testified to the Senate Appropriations Committee April 10, calling on Congress to provide strong local funding for terrorism preparedness, health infrastructure, and security management.
“Counties are first responders to terrorist attacks, natural disasters and other major emergencies. County public health, law enforcement, fire, and emergency management personnel have major responsibilities for planning, preparedness, response and recovery actions,” said Gonzalez, adding that counties frequently own and operate vital infrastructure such as airports, transit systems, water supplies, ports, schools and hospitals.
Gonzalez, testifying with Baltimore Mayor Martin O’Malley and Dearborn, Mich. Mayor Michael Guido, was glowingly introduced by home state Sen. Pete Domenici (R-N.M.) “You’re in the front seat in the front row with that introduction,” responded Committee Chairman Robert Byrd (D-W. Va.)
Gonzalez testified that a minimum of $1.8 billion is needed from Congress for public health, with $940 million of that for local and state health infrastructure. He also repeated NACo’s call for a $3.5 billion local anti-terrorism block grant. Finally, Gonzalez said President George W. Bush’s recent supplemental emergency planning and management request of $327 million should be closer to a minimum of $500 million.
Anti-terrorism block grant
Gonzalez appointed a 47-member NACo Task Force on Homeland Security in the wake of the Sept. 11th terrorist attacks. It recently completed an eight-page publication, entitled First Responders: Counties Secure America, which was given to the Senate committee. Gonzalez called on the committee to urge Congress to enact the $3.5 billion local anti-terrorism block grant.
“The funds should flow directly from the federal government to local governments,” he said. “NACo’s concept of the block grant would enable local governments to enhance regional planning and coordination by preventing, preparing for, and managing an areawide response to terrorism.”
Like NACo, the Bush Administration has requested $3.5 billion for FY03 for homeland security measures. The Administration’s plan would provide $2 billion to state and local governments to pool resources and equipment to prevent a terrorist attack. Also, approximately $1.1 billion would be used to train firefighters, police officers and emergency medical technicians to respond and operate in a chemical or biological environment. It would also designate about $245 million to support a regionally coordinated, regular exercise program to improve response capabilities, practice mutual aid, and assess operational improvements and deficiencies.
Gonzalez said $500 million is necessary to create a sophisticated planning and management system at the city-county and multi-county levels in order to strengthen the “poorly funded” Integrated Emergency Management System (IEMS). Currently, Bush has requested $327 million for the system. Gonzalez said he is pleased that Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge is requesting to view regionalized plans before making funding distributions, rather than the other way around.
“The White House strategy is similar to NACo’s approach in that it places major emphasis on elevating the existing emergency management system and in connecting comprehensive planning to funding levels,” Gonzalez said.
Public health preparation
Another major issue for the meeting was public health. Gonzalez requested that an appropriation of a minimum of $1.8 billion is necessary to restore and prepare local health departments for possible terrorism. He stressed that at least $940 million of that amount be dedicated to building and maintaining local and state public health infrastructures. Gonzalez noted that the funding requests were researched and provided by NACo’s affiliate, the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO). He said state plans had not all been completed, but once they are, NACo and NACCHO will have better understandings of how states will address local needs, particularly sustainable staffing and training at the local level.
“As regional governments, counties are in the unique position to provide the leadership, planning and coordination needed to prevent, prepare for, and manage the response to bioterrorism events,” Gonzalez said.
He also testified that local systems, notably in the areas of surveillance, communications and data management, must be strengthened in order to mobilize communities in emergency situations.
Other developments
Senate Committee Ranking Member Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) was concerned that funds would not be distributed fairly if states were not involved.
Gonzalez replied, “Right now, counties and cities actually conduct a lot of the work that could receive these dollars. We need to make sure we get these funds in hand to operate accordingly.”
Stevens was not satisfied with such an answer and pressed further. He asked Gonzalez if the federal government should be prepared to meet every locality’s needs and if it would be wise to use federal-taxpayer money to fund every jurisdiction.
Gonzalez said, “There needs to be assessments at the local levels prior to spending the money. The use of the monies should be going to pre-planning activities.”
Stevens said he agreed with such an approach.
Byrd wrapped the hearing, saying, “Today represents the beginning of this committee’s attempt to better understand the aftermath of 9-11. This committee is trying to get a sense of what has and what will work at the local levels.”
Other senators in attendance were: Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.), Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii), Tim Johnson (D-S.D.), Mary Landrieu (D-La.), and Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.)
