Senator Olympia J. Snowe

SNOWE CO-SPONSORED AMENDMENT FOR INCREASED EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERFORMANCE GRANTS PASSES SENATE

Included in FY 2005 Homeland Security Appropriations Bill Currently Being Debated on Senate Floor

Contact: Antonia Ferrier/ (202) 224-5344
Friday, September 10, 2004

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Olympia J. Snowe (R-Maine) is pleased that the Senate passed by voice vote this morning an amendment that she cosponsored with Senator George Voinovich (R-OH) to the Fiscal Year (FY) 2005 Homeland Security Appropriations bill to provide additional funds for Emergency Management Performance Grants (EMPG) program. A 2003 survey by the National Emergency Management Association (NEMA) found that the EMPG program faces a $245 million shortfall. This amendment would begin to make up that shortfall by adding $56 million to this year’s FY 2005 Homeland Security Appropriations bill, which is currently being considered by the full Senate.

“I’m pleased that the Senate passed this amendment to provide critical additional funds for the Emergency Management Performance Grant program,” said Snowe. “This program has been vital in supporting the efforts of state and local agencies against not only terrorist threats in a post-September 11th world, but against natural emergencies like blizzards, floods and hurricanes. With the passage of this amendment, the Senate has taken a substantive step to meet the needs of state and local governments across the country.”

Congress provided $180 million to EMPG in FY 2004 - a $15 million increase over FY 2003. The Administration’s budget request would fund the program at only $170 million and proposed to restrict the use of the grants to no more than 25 percent for personnel and calls for an increased focus on terrorism. NEMA estimated that approximately 60 percent of state and local emergency management positions could have been impacted by the restriction on the use of the grants for personnel.

The EMPG program was created to assist in developing emergency response systems at the state and local government level that can handle disasters and emergencies of all types and sizes. It provides the only source of federal assistance to state and local managers to help with their emergency management capabilities. The program gives needed emergency coordination and planning support to state and local governments and first responders, effectively integrating federal response assets and resources when needed.

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