WASHINGTON -- Late last night the Senate approved its 2010 Homeland Security Appropriations bill, legislation that includes provisions authored by United States Senator Mary L. Landrieu, D-La., that strengthen Louisiana's and the nation's hurricane preparedness. One Landrieu amendment requires the FEMA Administrator to submit a report to Congress within 60 days on the agency's efforts to provide disaster housing options other than travel trailers and mobile homes.

The Senate's approval of this provision follows testimony Wednesday from the Department of Homeland Security Inspector General confirming a disaster housing preparedness gap.

"FEMA has repeatedly described trailers as a 'last resort,' but the agency has not yet made sufficient efforts to repair damaged units or acquire alternatives to trailers," Sen. Landrieu said. "If a state is hit by a catastrophic hurricane this season, FEMA will have to rely on the only off-the-shelf option available -- the 100,000 trailers and mobile homes, which cost American taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars each year just to store. These trailers are also not conducive to community recovery or viable in dense urban areas. FEMA must utilize its existing authority to provide a 'first resort' option that people can rely upon. My amendment ensures that the agency is working toward that goal in an expedited manner."

In 2006, Congress passed the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act, which authorized FEMA to repair existing rental units and fund permanent construction to alleviate housing supply shortages and save taxpayer dollars. A FEMA report issued May 19 reveals that the agency has only repaired two rental-unit complexes in the last three years. In addition, FEMA is only testing seven alternative housing units and has no acquisition plans in place.

Senator Landrieu also crafted funding provisions and legislative language to improve security measures and speed recovery and rebuilding efforts in the Gulf Coast. One such initiative requires FEMA to develop a comprehensive system and strategy for evacuating, transferring and providing continued care for high-risk obstetric patients and neonates. The bill also requires FEMA to provide an update on catastrophic planning in all 50 states and the 75 largest urban areas by April 16, 2010, with an emphasis on mass evacuation planning. In addition, the Homeland Security Appropriations Bill includes Landrieu language to encourage state and local governments and all grantees to develop pre-event recovery plans in conjunction with their response and mitigation plans.

"Almost four years after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, our nation is still struggling to develop adequate disaster preparedness measures," Sen. Landrieu said. "The Obama Administration has made strides in advancing Gulf Coast recovery -- but the federal government must do more to prepare our communities for future disasters. From planning evacuation routes to providing sufficient disaster housing options, Congress must ensure that federal agencies learn from past mistakes and takes action that makes America safer before the next hurricane strikes. With my amendments, this bill moves the federal government closer to those objectives, while funding projects that aid our rebuilding efforts."

At Sen. Landrieu's request, the bill contains $23 million for LSU's National Center for Biomedical Research and Training. This initiative is part of a consortium of schools and national centers that work to enhance the preparedness of federal, state, local and tribal emergency responders. The Homeland Appropriations legislation also includes a Landrieu provision to provide $980,000 for a North Louisiana Regional Emergency Operations Center based in Lincoln Parish. The 24,000-square foot regional emergency operations facility will serve 29 parishes in northern Louisiana.

Recovery Provisions

Sen. Landrieu authored an amendment for the Office of the Federal Coordinator for Gulf Coast Rebuilding to consolidate federal data on Gulf Coast recovery funding and measure impacts on key recovery indicators. This directive would address the lack of comprehensive data on federal funding and recovery progress. The data would focus on repopulation, economic and job growth, re-establishment of local and state tax revenues, restoration of housing stock, and availability of critical services including health care, education, criminal justice and fire protection.

Sen. Landrieu helped to secure $5 million for FEMA to conduct a human capital study to curb excessive turnover and inadequate training at the agency. Recommendations will address the overall size of the FEMA workforce, which has increased from 2,500 to 4,000 since 2007. The study will also analyze the personnel needs of specific components within the agency.

The bill provides an additional $2.3 million for six more employees in FEMA's Office of Environmental and Historic Preservation to ensure that these reviews do not become a choke point for rebuilding, mitigation and preparedness. Sen. Landrieu also supported $2 million for the Federal Coordinator for Gulf Coast Rebuilding.

Other Landrieu-authored Language In addition to funding priorities, Sen. Landrieu worked with Democratic and Republican Committee members to include legislative language that benefits homeland security and preparedness activities in Louisiana. These include:

• Critical Infrastructure: The Committee encouraged the National Infrastructure Simulation and Analysis Center (NISAC) to continue working with the National Incident Management Systems and Advanced Technologies Institute (NIMSAT) at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette to analyze critical infrastructure vulnerabilities and interdependencies in the Gulf Coast region.

• Enforcing the Jones Act on the OCS: The legislation includes Landrieu language that encourages Customs and Border Protection to enforce the Jones Act on the Outer Continental Shelf to ensure that vessels traveling between offshore installations and the mainland are flagged in the U.S. and crewed by American citizens.

• Explosives Detection Equipment for Louisiana Airports : Sen. Landrieu secured a set-aside to ensure that Louisiana's airports are eligible for a portion of the allocations for explosives detection systems. The Committee now requires that at least 28 percent of funds to procure and deploy certified explosives detection systems be dedicated to small- and medium-sized airports. DHS classifies all of Louisiana's airports as small- or medium-sized.

• Increased Security for LNG Tankers and Facilities: This language expresses concern that the Coast Guard does not have enough resources to protect LNG tankers and facilities. It also requires the Commandant and DHS Secretary to present a report within six months that evaluates current security measures and recommends specific improvements.