Mr. President, I rise today to speak in favor of the disaster mitigation programs as funded in the FY 2004 Homeland Security Appropriations bill.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) currently has two programs for disaster mitigation, a pre- and post-disaster program. Since 2001, the Administration has sought to combine these two programs into one pre-disaster program. In response to the Administration's initiatives, I asked the General Accounting Office (GAO) to examine the Administration's proposed changes. The GAO report, released in 2002, concluded that FEMA's mitigation programs, "differ substantially in how they have sought to reduce the risks from hazards but each has features that the state emergency management community believes has been successful for mitigation."

Congress funded both programs in FY 2002 and FY 2003. In addition, the Senate and House Homeland Security Appropriations reports for the FY 2004 Homeland Security Appropriations speak highly of both programs. The Senate report noted that the Committee thought the post-disaster program had been "very successful and will continue to be a valuable tool in the disaster relief process." The report goes on to say the Committee "has also continued funding for the national pre-disaster mitigation fund, believing that a balance in pre- and post- disaster mitigation funds allows for greater flexibility in emergency management at the local level."

The House Appropriations Committee also reviewed the two programs favorably. The House Committee report said the "post-disaster hazard mitigation grant program is an effective mechanism to ensure mitigation activities are undertaken when the need is most apparent, which is immediately after a disaster strikes. When used in conjunction with the pre-disaster mitigation grant program, a comprehensive mitigation strategy can be accomplished."

I look forward to Congress's continued support for these two important programs.