Faster and Smarter Funding for First Responders Act

FASTER AND SMARTER FUNDING FOR FIRST RESPONDERS ACT -- (House of Representatives - May 12, 2005)

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Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Chairman, I thank my colleague from California for yielding me time.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong support of the amendment offered by the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Berry).

This amendment would add the administrator of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service as a full member of the First Responder Grants Board.

As an integral part of the Department of Agriculture, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service monitors our Nation's agriculture to protect against agricultural pests and diseases. It also works closely with the Department of Homeland Security in agro-terrorism preparedness and prevention.

Under the bill debated today, the First Responders Grants Board will be charged with prioritizing grant applications on the basis of risk. Adding the administrator to the board would help ensure this panel has the necessary expertise when considering the risks to rural America.

In my home State of Alabama, for example, agriculture is the number one industry, employing nearly half a million people. An agro-terrorist attack in Alabama could cripple our economy.

So it is essential we include these changes today to ensure that the voice of rural America is heard during the process.

I would also like to note this amendment has the full support of the Committee on Agriculture on which I sit. I thank my colleague, the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Berry), for offering this commonsense amendment. I also thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Cox) for his efforts on this subject and urge my colleagues to support the amendment.

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