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Executive Calendar

Floor Speech

Date: Jan. 13, 2020
Location: Washington, DC


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Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I rise today asking the Senate to confirm the nomination of Mr. Peter Gaynor to be the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The FEMA Administrator serves as the principal adviser to the President, the Homeland Security Council, and the Secretary of Homeland Security for all matters related to emergency management. =========================== NOTE ===========================

On page S156, January 13, 2020, third column, the following appears: Mr. CRAMER. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Boozman). Without objection, it is so ordered. NOMINATION OF PETER GAYNOR Mr. CRAMER. Mr. President, I rise today asking the Senate to confirm the . . .

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The online Record has been corrected to read: Mr. JOHNSON. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Boozman). Without objection, it is so ordered. NOMINATION OF PETER GAYNOR Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I rise today asking the Senate to confirm the . . . ========================= END NOTE =========================

The Administrator's principal duties include the operation of the National Response Coordination Center and the effective support of all emergency support functions. More broadly, the Administrator coordinates the implementation of a risk-based, all-hazards strategy to prepare for, mitigate against, respond to, and recover from natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and other manmade disasters.

The Agency has over 20,000 employees and a surge capacity force of over 9,000 volunteers to respond during local and national emergencies, working around the clock when necessary.

The President's nominee to head FEMA, Mr. Peter Gaynor, has extensive experience at the local, State, and Federal emergency management levels. In 2018, the Senate confirmed Mr. Gaynor as the Deputy Administrator of FEMA, and for most of last year he served as the Acting Administrator. Prior to Federal service, he was the director of Rhode Island's Emergency Management Agency. For 26 years prior to his service in emergency management positions, Mr. Gaynor served as an enlisted marine and infantry officer in the U.S. Marine Corps.

Mr. Gaynor's experience will be valuable as FEMA works to implement the Disaster Recovery Reform Act. A primary goal of that legislation is to help ensure that the model for response to and recovery from natural and manmade disasters is one that is locally executed, State managed, and federally supported.

I am pleased to say that Mr. Gaynor's nomination has broad bipartisan support. Our committee approved his nomination by voice vote in November. Among others, he has received endorsements from Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo, Senator Jack Reed, Big City Emergency Managers, and the International Association of Fire Chiefs.

I am grateful to Mr. Gaynor for his willingness to continue serving his country in this role and to his family for their continued sacrifice. I strongly encourage my colleagues to vote yes on his nomination.

Cloture Motion

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