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A growing chorus of Democrats is seeking billions of dollars in congressional funding to improve communications for emergency responders after problems hampered relief efforts stemming from Hurricane Katrina.

Sen. Debbie Stabenow of Michigan on Tuesday was planning to offer an amendment to the budget resolution that would provide a "down payment" of $5 billion for the Homeland Security Department to purchase equipment and conduct training. The money is part of a $15 billion allocation that Stabenow and her supporters envision over the next few years.

"The lack of this communication for America's first responders has put them and put all of us -- all of our communities -- in danger," Stabenow said during a press briefing.

But her bill and others like it have failed in the past. Congress has approved $14 billion since the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks for states to use to bolster the communications of emergency responders. "This is a life-and-death issue," said Sen. Carl Levin, also a Michigander. He said that a "focused source of money" for this equipment is essential.

"Whatever we have done has not been enough," added Sen. Mary Landrieu, who represents the devastated state of Louisiana. Sen. Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut said if the federal government does not provide the funds, "it ain't gonna happen." Another proponent is Sen. Barbara Boxer, whose state of California is notorious for earthquakes, mudslides and other natural disasters.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., has expressed worries in recent days about the ability of communications systems to work across jurisdictions, but it was unclear at deadline whether he supports the amendment. His office did not return calls.

At the briefing, Stabenow expressed hope that Frist, who visited the hurricane-stricken region, and other Republicans would back the proposal. She said Frist and the Federal Emergency Management Agency have pinpointed communications problems as a top priority.

There are indications that some Republicans want the matters addressed locally. "We're keenly interested in the reports of communications problems that police and other emergency workers encountered in the New Orleans area," Kevin Schweers, spokesman for House Commerce Committee Chairman Joe Barton, R-Texas, wrote in an e-mail.

"So far, however, most of these seem to involve a need for local cooperation to sort out frequencies and planning to provide a source for emergency electricity that will permit radios to work when the normal power fails and batteries die."

Rep. Henry Waxman of California, the ranking Democrat on the House Government Reform panel, is expected to raise concerns about communications capacity at upcoming hearings. The panel holds its first hearing on Hurricane Katrina this Thursday. Waxman outlined his concerns in a Sept. 6 letter to Government Reform Chairman Tom Davis, R-Va.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., among other lawmakers, has spoken in recent days of the need for more funding to bolster emergency communications. Several other lawmakers, including Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Chairwoman Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Mich., are preparing bills to address the issue.

COMMENTS

• I'm tired of the Dems crying more money more money. This is a local issue to be funded by localities. What's happen to the billions that has been allocated to the states for 1st responders?? Its been wasted as usual. It's amazing when the money comes from the Feds it wasted but when the community pays for it in local taxes the $$ are better used dan ketter Posted September 16, 2005 2:59 PM
• The back-end, systemwide approach that would give all agencies and responders a failsafe way to talk anywhere, anytime, regardless of the crisis or event, isn’t technically, financially or bureaucratically possible any time soon – proven by the 4 years and $ millions or billions of grant money spent after 9/11 Whether man-made terrorism or natural disaster, the reality is that there’s over 6,000 fire, police and EMS departments nationwide, most acquiring their own radio equipment, creating a patchwork of communications systems and frequencies – any combination which might show up at a crisis event. Putting new equipment into the hands of all those people has been estimated at $18 billion. So where’s the quickfix for the folks on the frontlines in the meantime? A number of local fire, police, EMS departments and agencies (including US Northern Command) have a piece of equipment that creates interoperability at the scene of the disaster within minutes. The interoperability created throughout the hurricane area was on a smaller, less widely deployed scale, but no less effective when it came to connecting disparate radio systems. At least 20 “Incident Commanders’ Radio Interface” devices, (ICRIs) which are portable, battery-powered small black boxes that bridge commercial, military, cell, direct-connect radios in less than five minutes were being used the LA National Guard, Charlottesville FD, Houston PD, NORTHCOM (US Northern Command). Unisys put up a satellite link for the LA governor with an ICRI interface. These cigar-box shaped “ICRIs” are under $10,000, but agencies will spend 5-10 times as much on equipment that’s too large, unwieldy and complex to deploy in such an event. And politicians will bemoan not having a blanket one-size fits all approach to this problem, but ask the first-responder in the field (who will be the one saving most of the lives) what they really care about. They need the equivalent of a Swiss Army knife when its comes to interoperability – they need it now, it needs to be easy, won’t break down, and is proven in the field. Any of those using this equipment will tell you how critical it is. Joel Greenberg Posted September 15, 2005 5:07 PM
• All this pontificating by the politicians will not get anything done. They can throw all the money in the world at it, but it will not solve the problems; they are myriad and great, and that is why they have not been solved. There are communities were the Police and Firefighters can't talk to one another; do you see where I am going with this? This is a grassroots problem which must be handled there, and all the rhetoric by blustering POLS won't help--believe me, ask the people on the frontlines. Bob Chilton Posted September 14, 2005 9:20 AM