Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Homeland Security Geospatial Information Act of 2004 which would create a Geospatial Management Office within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Geospatial information is a critical component of effective planning for homeland security.

My interest in homeland security geospatial information developed out of my efforts to ensure support for pre-disaster mitigation programs, such as Project Impact. Project Impact was started by FEMA in 1997 to help communities become disaster-resistant by preventing damage and loss of life and property during a disaster and reducing recovery time and costs afterwards.

Geospatial technologies, such as satellite imagery and aerial photography, provide data that create the maps and charts that can help prevent a disaster from occurring or lessen the impact of an unforeseeable event by equipping first responders with up-to-date information. In the event of a terrorist chemical attack, knowing which way a contaminated plume will travel can save lives. Similarly, the damage of a natural disaster, such as a wildfire, can be lessened by maps that help predict which areas will be in the path of the blaze.

My own state of Hawaii is vulnerable to hurricanes, torrential rains and flooding, tsunamis, droughts, earthquakes, and even wildfires. Four years ago, flooding on the islands of Hawaii and Maui caused approximately $20 million in damage to private and public facilities. In order to predict floods more accurately, local officials need current, interoperable data on water levels and surrounding infrastructure so that accurate maps predicting the flow of water can be created on demand. Accurate maps are also critical for swift and safe evacuation procedures.

All levels of government are more effective and efficient when employing geospatial technology, especially in the area of homeland security. Its uses include, but are not limited to: disaster early warning and mitigation, border monitoring, criminal investigations, public health protection, and critical infrastructure oversight. In the past, geospatial information management has been done in a piecemeal fashion. Domestic geospatial data procurement and sharing is poorly coordinated and managed. According to a 2003 study by Cary and Associates, a geotechnology consulting firm, the federal government spends $5 billion per year on geospatial goods and technologies. This figure does not include the amount being spent by state and local agencies, which some experts estimate is two to three times that of the federal government. It is also estimated that at least half of the government's geospatial spending is going towards redundant activities.

During a House Government Reform hearing in June 2003, Mark Forman, then the Administrator of the Office of E-Government and Information Technology, admitted that the Office of Management and Budget had no idea how much money federal agencies spend on geospatial procurement.

The Administration's current solution to this problem is Geospatial One-Stop, an online portal where organizations and individuals can access geospatial information developed by federal, state, and local agencies. While Geospatial One-Stop is a good sharing tool, it helps to reduce government redundancy only if agencies voluntarily access data from it instead of procuring the data themselves. With no one keeping a close eye on an agency's geospatial spending, there is no incentive for it to utilize this tool.

The legacy agencies that make up DHS had traditionally managed their own geospatial procurement. But many of the homeland and non-homeland security missions of DHS complement each other. Sharing maps and data reduces redundancy, provides savings, and ensures better information for disaster response.

Currently, the DHS Chief Information Officer (CIO) is working to break down this geospatial stove piping within the Department by naming a Geospatial Information Officer. However, there is no single office in DHS officially responsible for geospatial management, and therefore, no corresponding budget. In the present structure, the Geospatial Information Officer does not have the authority to compel the five DHS directorates to cooperate with his efforts. The entire agency should make geospatial coordination a priority.

A geospatial management office needs to be created and codified within DHS. A congressionally mandated office would give the Geospatial Information Officer more authority with which to do this job.

The Office of Geospatial Management has the potential to significantly increase the quality of the resources homeland security officials rely on by reducing redundancy and improving the quality of geospatial procurement. But in order to do this it needs authority and funding.

This office would also serve as a mechanism for coordinating with state and local authorities. Much of the geospatial information available today is created at the state and local levels. Centralizing this information will make it more widely available to first responders and other homeland security officials.

The Homeland Security Geospatial Act of 2004, will address these needs by:

• creating the Office of Geospatial Management under the CIO;

• giving this office the responsibility for managing DHS geospatial activities and coordinating with State and local officials on geospatial initiatives that pertain to homeland security; and

• naming the Department as member of the Geospatial One-Stop Board of Directors, which will give DHS a role in coordinating federal geospatial activities.

We can improve the Department's mission of protecting America, while maximizing the funds. I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation.