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Senators and senior government investigators on Wednesday cautioned against removing the Federal Emergency Management Agency from the Homeland Security Department, saying doing so could further rupture the nation's ability to prepare for and respond to catastrophes.

Calls have intensified in recent weeks -- especially among congressional Democrats -- to make FEMA an independent agency, which it was before being placed in DHS in 2003.

"Transferring FEMA out of the department, in my opinion, would be a major mistake," Homeland Security Inspector General Richard Skinner told the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee at a hearing on the government's response to Hurricane Katrina. "[We'd] simply [be] transferring the problem."

Later this month, the committee will release its findings on what went wrong with the government's response to Katrina. Committee members then plan to introduce legislation aimed at enacting reforms. The White House and House Republicans have already completed separate reviews.

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, chairwoman of the committee, said she does not think that problems with emergency preparedness and response would be solved by simply making FEMA independent.

"Our investigation has shown that Katrina is all about a failure of leadership," Collins said. "If you still have poor leadership and inadequate leadership, you're going to have the same results."

Collins added that removing FEMA could impede the government's ability to do all-hazards preparedness and response, and lead to a duplication of efforts.

Committee ranking member Sen. Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn., said he also opposes removing FEMA. "This makes no sense at all," he said. "There's a synergy in DHS."

Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minn., noted that the Coast Guard was also moved into DHS, but has not had problems like FEMA's.

Comptroller General David Walker suggested that Congress set stronger statutory requirements for credentials a director of FEMA - - or any other agency critical to public and national security -- must possess, such as professional experience in emergency management. And he recommended that the FEMA director be given a term limit.

Walker said the quality and capabilities of FEMA's leadership, along with adequacy of resources, will have more to do with the agency's success than whether it is part of DHS.

Skinner added that FEMA has lost many experienced, qualified professionals to retirement, and has yet to fill many vacancies. "We have not adequately trained and brought up those behind us," he said.

COMMENTS

• Having survived six hurricanes in my lifetime and having seen firsthand how FEMA used to operate as a separate entity, I see no reason why it should be a part of DHS. When FEMA wasn't hindered by bureaucratic red tape, it worked just fine. In my first-hand experience with FEMA, I saw how quickly it used to react to such disasters and how their quick thinking and acting saved many people's lives. I can honestly say that the FEMA of years gone by is a major reason why so few people in the Caribbean territories succumbed after a hurricane struck. I see the logic of merging it with a department that is supposed to handle our homeland's security, but DHS isn't doing that. As long as DHS is a political tool for the election and reelection of politicians, as well as a springboard to a better paying job for its upper managers, FEMA has no business being part of DHS. The irony in all of this is better represented by the DHS logo. The eagle's wings in the logo cut through a red circle, supposedly representing red tape and bureaucracy. That is the exact opposite of what DHS has been doing since its ill-conceived creation. Former CBP employee Posted March 10, 2006 9:11 AM
• FEMA may have been slow under the previous administration, but those of us who used to live in the Caribbean territories never had to deal with how FEMA is right now. In 1998, when Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands were hit by Hurricane George, FEMA's "slow" response was critical in saving probably thousands of lives. This was mainly because it was not swamped by DHS' red tape. Get FEMA out of DHS. Get the Coast Guard and the agriculture inspectors at the borders out of DHS too while you're at it. Former CBP employee Posted March 13, 2006 10:04 AM
• Can I get an amen? HR Specialist's comments re: FEMA/DHS are right on the mark. As a happily-retired ex-Customs officer, I'm glad that I missed the DHS stupidity, and the FEMA mess. Trying to have one employee do three or four radically different jobs is hard enough. But to politicize FEMA with obviously unqualified leaders is a shame. We need to change the system of presidential appointments. GovExec.com reader Posted March 13, 2006 11:36 AM