Panel leaders sign pact to share oversight of FEMA, Coast Guard
Chairmen of the House Transportation and Homeland Security committees in the last session of Congress disagreed on FEMA overhaul.
House Homeland Security Chairman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., and House Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman James Oberstar, D-Minn., Thursday reached an agreement to share oversight over the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Coast Guard.
The two new chairmen signed a memorandum of understanding to address the complicated relationship between their panels when it comes to oversight of the agencies, both of which reside in the Homeland Security Department.
"This agreement marks a milestone in the relationship between our two committees," Oberstar said. "I commend [Thompson] for his willingness to work with us to find common ground on issues vitally important to both of our committees."
"Gone are the days of having critical homeland security legislation bogged down in jurisdictional battles," Thompson said.
The two committees butted heads last year when it came to reforming FEMA, when then-Homeland Security Chairman Peter King, R-N.Y., wanted to keep FEMA within the Homeland Security Department and then-Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Don Young, R-Alaska, wanted to remove the agency from the department. In the end, lawmakers agreed to keep FEMA within the department but expand its power and give it responsibility for all-hazards preparedness and response.
The agreement signed Thursday clarifies that the two committees share jurisdiction on bills that involve FEMA counter-terrorism. The Homeland Security Committee has primary oversight when it comes to legislation related to FEMA's counter-terrorism authorities.
Under the pact, bills that deal with issues not specifically related to counter-terrorism would first be referred to Transportation and Infrastructure, then referred to the Homeland Security Committee, an aide for Transportation and Infrastructure said.
"It's not locking out any committee; it's just setting up a protocol that the bill would be referred to our committee first," the aide explained.
The agreement also clarifies that the two committees share jurisdiction on legislation "addressing the activities, programs, assets and personnel of the Coast Guard as they relate to port security and non-port security missions."