Senator Thad Cochran (R-MS) chaired a hearing of the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee today to discuss the fiscal year 2004 budget needs for the Emergency Preparedness and Response directorate at the Department of Homeland Security. Michael Brown, Undersecretary of Emergency Preparedness and Response at the Department of Homeland Security, testified before the subcommittee.

Senator Cochran questioned the witness about the following: the Department's creation of the Domestic Emergency Support Team, which combines the FBI, the National Disaster Medical System, and the Nuclear Incident Response Team; the role of the Department in Project Bio-Shield and Bio-Watch and its expertise in managing these operations; the relationship between the Department and the Centers for Disease Control with regard to protecting against bio-terrorism and naturally occurring diseases like SARS; and the importance of the Emergency Management Performance grants for helping states and local communities prepare for emerging threats to homeland security. The Senator also raised concerns about the shortfall in natural disaster assistance funding in the FEMA budget.

Senator Cochran's Q&A with the witness is available on the Senator's voicemail news line and on the Senator's web site at www.senate.gov/~cochran . You may record these statements as needed for newscasts or news stories.

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Beth Day, Press Secretary: (202) 224-6404