[StBernard] Homeland Security Bill Includes Landrieu Provision to Fast-Track Recovery Money to Schools

[Westley Annis]

Homeland Security Bill Includes Landrieu Provision to Fast-Track Recovery
Money to Schools 
Also includes Landrieu provisions to complete flood maps, fund emergency
preparedness programs.

 

WASHINGTON - The Senate Appropriations Committee yesterday approved the
fiscal 2008 Homeland Security Appropriations bill, which includes no-cost
language authored by United States Senator Mary L. Landrieu, D-La., that
allows school districts impacted by hurricanes Katrina and Rita to receive a
single Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) payment to rebuild
schools. School districts would otherwise have to go through FEMA's
complicated Public Assistance process on a building-by-building basis. 

"Giving a school district a lump sum to rebuild its schools cuts through
needless government red tape and gets districts their recovery money
faster," said Sen. Landrieu, Chairman of the Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs Disaster Recovery Subcommittee. "This legislation will
get our students, who were victims of the 2005 hurricanes, back into their
permanent classrooms."

The legislation also requires FEMA to complete flood maps for Katrina and
Rita affected communities by October 31. FEMA has twice pushed back the date
for completing the maps.

"These flood maps are vital to helping hurricane victims rebuild smarter,"
Sen. Landrieu said. "The recovery effort is being held up because our
communities lack accurate information."

Other Landrieu provisions in the bill include:

*         $700 million for firefighter grants, which was an increase of $400
million beyond the president's request.

*         $375 million for the Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Program.
The president's budget request zeroed out the program.

*         $300 million for Emergency Management Performance Grants, the
nation's planning program for all types of hazards. This is an increase of
$100 million beyond the President Bush's budget request.  

*         $145 million for the National Domestic Preparedness Consortium.

"We must invest in the programs that will protect us from disasters, be they
natural or manmade," Sen. Landrieu said. "I will continue to work with my
colleagues on the Appropriations and Homeland Security committees to fund,
reform and reinforce programs that keep us safe." 

 

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