Hearing Of The Senate Homeland Security And Governmental Affairs Committee; To Consider The Nomination Of Dennis R. Schrader To Be Deputy Administrato

Statement

Hearing Of The Senate Homeland Security And Governmental Affairs Committee; To Consider The Nomination Of Dennis R. Schrader To Be Deputy Administrato

SEN. SUSAN COLLINS (R-ME): Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

And welcome, Mr. Schrader.

The FEMA Reform Act, written by this committee and signed into law last year, reunited the preparedness and response functions of a strengthened FEMA within the Department of Homeland Security.

As the chairman has indicated, the deputy administrator for National Preparedness is a new position created by the Reform Act, and it will play a critical role in meeting the challenges that are set forth in the reform bill.

The need for this reunification, for the strengthening and for this position was made clear by our investigation into the flawed preparation for and response to Hurricane Katrina. And thus the responsibilities for the position for which Mr. Schrader has been nominated are extensive. They include policy development, contingency planning, exercise coordination and evaluation, emergency management training and hazard mitigation, to name but a few.

Beyond the specifics of the job description, the deputy administrator for National Preparedness must be a builder, a builder of a new FEMA as an integral part of DHS, a builder of a new culture of all-hazard preparedness across all levels of government, and above all, a builder of a restored faith within the American people in government's ability to meet its fundamental obligation of protecting our citizens.

Mr. Schrader brings significant experience and expertise to this great challenge.

As has been mentioned, as director of Maryland's Office of Homeland Security, he worked to develop a regional vision for Homeland Security. That's been an issue that the chairman and I have long pushed, of having a more regional approach and thus stronger regional offices for example.

He also was responsible for implementing accountable and measurable program oversight for all Homeland Security dollars coming to his state and he helped establish the Maryland Coordination and Analysis Center. His service on the U.S. Attorney's Office, Anti- terrorism Advisory Council, and as the chairman of the Public Safety Communications Interoperability Workgroup, bears directly upon two issues that have long been at the top of this committee's agenda.

No aspect of our post-Katrina legislation has stirred more debate and more disagreement than our intention, our commitment to keep a strengthened FEMA within the Department of Homeland Security. In the end, our proposal prevailed because it is clear that the challenges of the 21st Century require a single agency to plan, coordinate and integrate Homeland Security and disaster operations. DHS is that agency and FEMA is its core. But passing legislation is only one hurdle. The real challenge comes in its implementation in creating a vigorous coordinated and accountable national emergency management network. I commend Mr. Schrader for his willingness to accept that challenge. I look forward to our discussion today.

Finally, Mr. Chairman, let me note that I have a staff member, my Deputy Chief of Staff, Mary Beth Carosa (sp), who worked very closely with Mr. Schrader in his position in Maryland. She personally vouches for him and I look forward to questioning him today.

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