Use of Grant Funds for Projects Conducted in Conjunction with a National Laboratory or Research Facility
Floor Speech
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Mr. KING of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, this bill, introduced by Mr. Lungren, is a simple statutory clarification that allows State and local governments and emergency management officials to use existing FEMA State Homeland Security Grant Program and Urban Area Security Initiative funds to work with national labs where appropriate.
H.R. 5843 amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 by inserting a clarification into the ``allowable use'' section of the Homeland Security Grant Program section. Clarifying this ``allowable use'' under the grants program will allow these State and local first responders to leverage the expertise at national labs for research and training purposes.
This is a simple, solid, good government measure that will help maximize the use of limited Federal grant dollars. This bill will allow State and local officials to cut through FEMA red tape, which makes it harder for first responders to work with the Federal national labs and make the best decisions for their homeland security needs. This bill will eliminate hoops that State and locals have to go through to gain access to this expertise and training.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Lungren) for his work on this issue and so many others on the committee.
I urge passage of the bill. I reserve the balance of my time.
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Mr. KING of New York. Mr. Speaker, I am proud, at this time, to yield such time as he may consume to the distinguished gentleman from California (Mr. Lungren), who is chairman of the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection, and Security Technologies; and during his time on the committee has contributed as much as, if not more than, any other Member, and, in fact, returned to Congress for the purpose of doing all he could to enhance our homeland security.
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