House Homeland Security Subcommittee Bills
BY: Eric Holdeman | November 3, 2009
Homeland Security Panel Approves FEMA, Preparedness Bills
The House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Emergency Communications, Preparedness and Response approved the following bills in separate voice votes:
⢠HR 3980, which would direct the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to identify and eliminate unnecessary reporting requirements; to develop a strategy for establishing performance metrics for its grants; and to complete a program assessment for each homeland security grant program.
⢠HR 3978, which would permit the Center for Domestic Preparedness to receive donations of goods and services that are related to preparedness for and response to acts of terrorism.
⢠HR 3837, which would prohibit FEMA from imposing limits on how state and local governments use preparedness grant funding to cover the costs of maintaining homeland security equipment.
It is a long way from a single committee bill to adoption and passage as a law but all three of the above have interesting aspects to them.
The words "Performance Metrics" might strike fear into your heart. Performance metrics = accountability for how you are using the funds and what is being accomplished--in a measurable way. Which is not an easy thing to do in emergency management. Remember we are not talking about numbers of people trained (what I like to call butts in seats), but how their training made a significant difference in their performance.
The last bill has been a bugaboo for everyone who has received grant money and purchased equipment. The operations and maintenance (calibration for instance) can be costly to keep up with.
Bill Cumming shared the information on the bills. 
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