Redundancy Elimination And Enhanced Performance For Preparedness Grants Act

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Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3980, the ``Redundancy Elimination and Enhanced Performance for Preparedness Grants Act.''

This legislation, introduced by Mr. Cuellar, the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Emergency Communications, Preparedness and Response, requires FEMA to assess the performance of its homeland security grant program and work towards addressing any identified deficiencies.

The legislation was developed based on finding from an October subcommittee hearing where FEMA testified as to the status of the agency's efforts to establish performance measurements for preparedness grants.

At the hearing, we learned that that FEMA's efforts to implement statutory performance metrics-related requirements are fragmented and poorly integrated. As a result, FEMA is unable to measure how the $29 billion in homeland security grants appropriated since 2002 have improved the nation's overall level of preparedness. Without these much needed performance metrics, FEMA continues to impose redundant grant reporting requirements on State and local governments including those in my home State of Mississippi.

Not only are these redundant reporting requirements costly and time-consuming for State and local officials to prepare, but there is significant evidence that, taken together, they still do not provide FEMA with information necessary to measure the return on investment from federal grants.

Although there have been some improvements in FEMA's administration of homeland security grants, such as the improvements in grant guidance and technical assistance provided to State and local applicants, we still have a ways to go.

H.R. 3980 would complement these efforts by directing FEMA to work with State and local stakeholders to identify and eliminate these redundant grant reporting requirements.

Specifically, H.R. 3980 would eliminate much of the red-tape and improve the performance of FEMA grant programs. The bill requires FEMA to develop a strategy, with timelines, to establish performance metrics for its homeland security grants and provides direction to complete a program assessment of its homeland security grants. These steps are designed to improve the agency's performance, productivity and accountability to the taxpayers. It will also provide Congress with better information on FEMA's performance to allow us to conduct more effective oversight and ensure that taxpayer money is being used efficiently and effectively.

Again, thank you for the consideration of this important legislation.

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