Category: Spring 2003 Newswire
Congress Hears Testimony on SARS; Gregg says U.S. Needs More Vaccine Development
WASHINGTON, D.C.—A day after the Senate heard testimony from health experts on the growing threat of SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), New Hampshire Sen. Judd Gregg joined Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., at a press conference Tuesday where immunization advocates supported a bill that would encourage manufacturers to develop vaccines for 21st century health threats.
Both the House and Senate earmarked $16 million in the emergency supplemental spending bill for SARS research at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee-which Gregg chairs-assured the experts Monday that Congress would do all they could to help public health agencies fight the spread of the virus in the United States.
Dr. Julie Gerberding, executive director of the CDC, told the committee that health officials worldwide are trying to contain the virus as it continues to spread throughout Asia, Canada and the United States.
“Cases of SARS continue to be reported from around the world,” Gerberding said. “The disease is still primarily limited to travelers to Hong Kong, Singapore and mainland China, to health care personnel who have taken care of SARS patients and to close contacts of SARS patients.”
Gerberding told the committee that officials believe the virus is primarily being transmitted through droplet spread from infected people coughing and sneezing, but they also are concerned about airborne transmission and the possibility that objects that become contaminated in the environment could serve as modes of spread.
The committee also heard from World Health Organization executive director Dr. David Heymann, who testified live via satellite from Geneva about efforts around the world to prevent the spread of the disease. Heymann said the United States is the only country doing work to develop a vaccine for SARS, which has no known treatment.
There have been no known SARS related deaths in the United States, but 89 have died worldwide including seven in Canada.
Gregg said the American people are growing increasingly alarmed about the highly contagious virus, and expressed concern at the hearing Monday and at the press conference Tuesday that there is not enough incentive for researchers to develop and manufacture vaccines for new diseases, such as SARS.
Gregg said Tuesday that vaccine developers face a huge liability if people are injured by the immunizations because of a loophole in the current Vaccine Injury Compensation Program that allows families to sue vaccine manufacturers for billions of dollars.
“If the vaccine industry was half as lucrative as being a trial lawyer, we’d have vaccines for the common cold by now,” Gregg said.
The Improved Vaccine Affordability and Availability Act, introduced last week by Frist, would expand the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program of 1986 by extending the statute of limitations under which individuals can apply for compensation if they believe they were injured by a vaccine. The law would also close the loophole for major lawsuits and encourage researchers to develop more vaccines.
“We’re in desperate shape relative to producing vaccines in this country and we have to put in a regime that’s going to allow us to produce vaccines and still be fair to those who feel they’ve been injured,” Gregg said. “That’s why we have the vaccine injury compensation fund that’s been set up. It’s effective, and unfortunately it’s being skirted by various procedures.”
The bill is facing opposition, however, from several senators, including Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., the HELP Committee’s senior democratic member. Kennedy’s press secretary Jim Manley said Tuesday, however, that Frist was working with fellow HELP committee member Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., “try to make some improvements to the bill,” with the help of Kennedy, before the bill is discussed in committee Wednesday.
“There is a genuine desire to try to reach an agreement tonight (Tuesday) to make it a more bipartisan” so the committee hearing will run smoothly Wednesday Manley said.
In a statement released last week that Kennedy never actually delivered, the senator said the bill, as it was introduced, would deny parents and children their day in court, grant special protection to manufacturers and would nullify the pending claims of millions of families. While Gregg and Frist presented the names of dozens of health organizations Tuesday that support the bill, Kennedy said in the statement that there are many national parent groups who oppose the legislation.
Published in The Manchester Union Leader, in New Hampshire.
Bradley says War in Iraq Going According to Plan
By Daniel Remin
WASHINGTON — Despite recent criticism that the Pentagon did not send enough troops to fight the war in Iraq, New Hampshire's freshman Congress member, Rep. Jeb Bradley, R-N.H., said he believes the war plan is efficient.
"My assessment, which is the overwhelming assessment of members of Congress, is that our troops are doing one heck of a good job and the war plan is working well," Bradley said in an interview yesterday. "We averted an environmental catastrophe with the oil wells being destroyed, humanitarian aid is flowing at this point unimpeded. There's been minimal loss of Iraqi civilians and our troops are punching through Republican Guard fortifications in a careful, steady-as-you-go assault on Baghdad."
As the United States military moved closer to Baghdad yesterday, power went out in much of Iraq's capital, bombs exploded near the city and U.S. forces attacked the Saddam International Airport there.
But "friendly fire" from a U.S. fighter jet struck troops on the ground in Iraq, killing one American soldier.
Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld has stood firmly behind his war plan. A number of reports have quoted mostly anonymous high-ranking military officials questioning whether the United States had put enough troops and equipment on the ground.
"From my point of view, this looks like an excellent plan, and the experts have been saying all along you have to adapt to circumstances," said Bradley, who serves on the House Armed Services Committee. "Look what the Department of Defense had to adapt to. The troops were supposed to come into Turkey (and) couldn't. That's huge."
On Wednesday, Turkey granted permission for the U.S. to fly equipment over the country into Iraq. But the Turkish parliament previously rejected U.S. requests to launch troops from bases there.
"I think the Armed Services Committee is going to show where we will be going in terms of the future weapons systems, what's worked, what is necessary, how we can improve our intelligence gathering," Bradley said.
Bradley said the focus for lawmakers right now should be to support the president and pass his request for about $80 billion in a supplemental budget, largely to wage the war. Both are expected to pass the House and Senate this week.
"It's not cheap, but it's the right thing to do to support our troops, to defend our liberties," Bradley said.
(Daniel Remin is an intern with the Boston University Washington News Service.)
Published in The Manchester Union Leader, in New Hampshire.
Congress Weighing Local Highway Requests
By Scott Brooks
WASHINGTON - Congress may distribute several million dollars this year to key South Coast highway projects, including long-discussed plans to relocate the New Bedford-Fairhaven Bridge.
Officials requested $1.5 million in federal money to move the century-old swing bridge, which some blame for persistent traffic jams and increased air pollution in the area.
The federal government also is weighing a request to assist New Bedford's plans to redevelop the pathway around St. Luke's Hospital. Washington would contribute $600,000 toward installing new technology in traffic signals around the hospital, a step advocates hope will aid paramedics coming to and from the facility.
The requests, submitted by Rep. Barney Frank, D-MA, and other Massachusetts lawmakers, are part of legislation being drafted to reauthorize a 1998 law that provides money for transportation projects nationwide. The Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century, as it is known, expires in September.
Relocating the New Bedford-Fairhaven Bridge has been discussed for several decades. The $1.5 million federal allocation would pay for an environmental impact study to analyze the benefits and consequences of moving the structure.
Relocation advocates say the bridge is responsible for heavy commuter traffic delays each time it opens for passing ships. Ships, too, clog the harbor during stretches when the bridge remains closed.
The bridge opens more than 4,000 times a year, according to Rep. Frank, each time stopping traffic for 15 to 20 minutes. Rep. Frank also said the bridge's swing mechanism is prone to breakdowns.
A New Bedford-Fairhaven master plan, approved by the state last fall, would move the bridge further north, where proponents say it would not have to open as often.
Alternative plans, according to New Bedford Solicitor Matthew Thomas, include eliminating the bridge entirely or replacing it with a new, less cumbersome drawbridge.
Mr. Thomas said the $600,000 to coordinate traffic lights outside St. Luke's Hospital is part of a larger plan to make access to the hospital easier. The city also plans to resurface the roads to reduce bumps, a problem for ambulances carrying trauma patients.
Sometimes, Mr. Thomas said, ambulances have to approach the hospital at speeds as low as 10 mph.
"As you drive down the road, you definitely have to be careful," he said. "We want to make sure it's as safe as possible."
The requests before Congress also include $15 million to pay for part of the design and construction of the Route 24-Route 140 interchange in Taunton, which is frequently congested. New Bedford commuters use the interchange heavily on their way to Boston.
Mr. Thomas said traffic along the ramp is a hazard for drivers. During the holidays, he said, traffic on the interchange can back up across the entire ramp, sometimes for almost a quarter of a mile.
Roland Hebert, transportation planning manager for the Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District, said the project is the most important in the region right now.
"This interchange is critical to the city of New Bedford," he said. "It's a very busy interchange, and it ties up once a week. It's a very critical problem right now."
Designs for the project have yet to start, but Mr. Hebert said they should be completed in six months.
Peter Kovar, Rep. Frank's chief of staff, said the congressman's requests represent just half of all needed funds for the projects.
"For most of these, we're not asking for the full cost," Mr. Kovar said. "The expectation is that money would come through the state and other sources, too."
Rep. Frank submitted seven requests in all, including $13 million for a project to relocate Route 79 in Fall River. That project, considered a key part of the city's plans to revitalize the waterfront, would convert the eight-lane highway into a four-lane, tree-lined boulevard.
Published in The New Bedford Standard Times, in Massachusetts.
Lieberman Lagging Behind in Campaign Contributions
By Bill Yelenak
WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Joseph Lieberman (D-Conn.) has raised more than $3 million for his presidential campaign during the first quarter of 2003, placing him far behind two other Democratic presidential hopefuls.
Lieberman trails U.S. Sens. John Kerry (D-Mass.) and John Edwards (D-N.C.) in contributions collected during the early months of campaigning. Edwards leads all candidates with $7.4 million and Kerry comes in a close second with about $7 million.
Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean is just behind Lieberman, with more than $2.6 million.
Many of the candidates who have said they intend to run for the Democratic nomination for president, including former Sen. Carol Moseley-Braun (D-Ill.), Rep. Richard Gephardt (D-Mo.), Sen. Bob Graham (D-FL), Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) and the Rev. Al Sharpton, had not released their first-quarter earnings as of Thursday afternoon. Candidates have until April 15 to file their quarterly reports with the Federal Election Commission.
According to a Wednesday press release, Lieberman's fundraising has come on strong of late, with $2.1 million of the senator's total raised in March. The campaign raised $300,000 in January and $600,000 in February.
Lieberman spokesman Jano Cabrera attributed the large increase to the hiring of Sherry Yost as campaign finance director.
"I think it's pretty clear that once we had our finance operation clearly in place, and with the hiring of our finance director at the end of late February, we really hit our stride," Cabrera said Thursday. "Already in the first week of April, we've raised more than we did in the entire month of January."
Others on the Lieberman campaign staff similarly expressed pleasure that contributions were coming in at a much quicker rate.
"I'm tremendously proud of our growing strength," Lieberman campaign manager Craig Smith said Wednesday in a press release. "Combined with the strong political endorsements we gained in key states like New Hampshire, New York, Arizona and Oklahoma, we have built a solid foundation for our future success."
Cabrera shrugged off the large fundraising gap between Lieberman and the two contribution leaders.
"We're just focused on reaching out to our own supporters, talking to them about the message that Sen. Joe Lieberman wants to spread," Cabrera said. "We'll leave the punditry to the pundits."
Bill Yelenak, a Boston University student, works at the Boston University Washington News Service in Washington, D.C. His telephone number is 202-756-2860 ext: 114 and his email is byelenak@newbritainherald.com.
Published in The New Britain Herald, in Connecticut.
Gregg Moves Against Administration With Air Pollutant Legislation
WASHINGTON—Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.) introduced environmental legislation on Wednesday that he said would aggressively reduce harmful emissions of pollutants from the nation's power plants. This marks the second time in three months that Gregg has taken on the Bush administration's "Clear Skies" initiative on air pollutants.
The Clean Air Planning Act of 2003, which Gregg co-sponsored with Sens. Tom Carper (D-Del.) and Lincoln Chafee (R-R.I.), involves a "cap and trade" approach, which sets caps on overall emissions of the four major pollutants-carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and mercury-but gives power plants the flexibility to choose the most effective way to meet those caps. For example, they can purchase "credits" from other companies whose emission levels are beneath the cap.
"New England and the Northeast have long suffered as the 'tailpipe' of the nation when it comes to air pollution and its detrimental effects on our environment," Gregg said in a statement. "This bill follows the lead set by the state of New Hampshire by setting significant reductions in the overall output of pollutants into our air, including mandatory reductions in carbon dioxide."
The "cap and trade" approach has proven successful for acid rain programs, Gregg said, and is also "market-friendly" because it minimizes the cost of complying with the regulations.
Gregg's bill also calls on federal environmental agencies to provide specific local air quality forecasts nationwide. Gregg has already secured $6 million over the last two years for the development of this program in New Hampshire, which is expected to become operational in 2004.
Environmental groups have lauded Gregg for taking a stand against President Bush's "Clear Skies" initiative, which they say is inadequate because of "loose regulations" and the fact that it does not include carbon dioxide, which is the number one pollutant associated with global warming.
"Gregg co-sponsoring the [bill] shows the disconnect between what the Bush administration has offered, which totally ignores C02, and mainstream public opinion on the need to clean up the oldest and dirtiest power plants, including dealing with global warming," Jan Pendlebury, director of the New Hampshire State Environmental Trust, said in an interview.
Pendlebury said that the Environmental Trust and other environmental groups intend to draft a strong plan that will head off the problem of harmful emissions from power plants. It needs to be done, she said, to reduce air pollution and to deal with the ever-growing environmental threat posed by global warming.
"There are not too many people in mainstream America that do not believe global warming is a problem," Pendlebury said. "The science has come out [on it], there is no dispute that this is happening and mainstream America believes it's happening, and Sen. Gregg understands that and has rebuked the president's plan."
Published in Foster's Daily Democrat, in New Hampshire.
U.S. Senate Honors Sinking of Thresher
By Daniel Remin
WASHINGTON — Forty years after the nuclear submarine U.S.S. Thresher sank to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, New Hampshire's two senators supported legislation commemorating the event.
Sen. John E. Sununu, R-N.H., introduced the bill Tuesday, and later that day it unanimously passed the Senate. Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H. and Sens. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, and Susan Collins, R-Maine, were co-sponsors.
The submarine sank on April 10, 1963, about 220 miles east of Boston, as it conducted deep-diving exercises. All aboard - 16 officers, 96 enlisted men and 17 civilians - died in the tragedy.
"This legislation honors their brave service, and the service of all submariners who are 'on eternal patrol,'" Sununu said in a press release. "The loss of the Thresher was an enormous tragedy for the U.S. submarine service, for the Navy and the nation."
Gregg expressed similar feelings.
"The brave sailors and civilians aboard the U.S.S. Thresher made the ultimate sacrifice in support of our nation," he said in a press release. "This measure we introduced recognizes the courage and bravery these men demonstrated in risking their lives in the development of the United States Navy's submarine program, a program which has proven invaluable to the American military."
The Thresher, built at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Maine, was commissioned in 1961 and underwent weapons tests, including on its torpedoes.
After the sub sank, the Navy investigated and determined that the most probable cause of the accident was a leak in its engine room because of corrosions in its pipes. This, in turn, could have caused electrical problems on the sub.
After the accident, the Navy established additional safety procedures, including the SUBSAFE program, which requires each submarine to pass a series of safety tests.
According to the press release, Sununu, Gregg and Maine's two senators will introduce legislation asking Army Secretary Thomas E. White to create a memorial at Arlington National Cemetery honoring those who lost their lives on the Thresher as well as on all other nuclear subs that were lost at sea.
(Daniel Remin is an intern with the Boston University Washington News Service.)
Published in The Manchester Union Leader, in New Hampshire.
Judd Gregg Introduces Clean Air Bill in Senate
By Daniel Remin
WASHINGTON — New Hampshire Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., introduced a bill Wednesday to reduce air pollution and limit harmful chemicals that are released from power plants.
Gregg, who chairs the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, co-authored the bi-partisan Clean Air Planning Act of 2003, with Sens. Lincoln Chafee, R-R.I., and Tom Carper, D-DE.
According to a statement released by Gregg's office, the legislation would decrease the amounts of carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide and mercury from power plants by tightening restrictions on the output of air pollution by the plants. In addition to reducing plant emissions, the legislation would also allow power plants to come into compliance with pollution guidelines by planting trees or croplands to reduce the presence of carbon dioxide.
"This bill follows the lead set by the state of New Hampshire by setting significant reductions in the overall output of pollutants into our air," Gregg said in a statement. "Specifically, emissions of sulfur dioxide will be reduced by 80 percent, nitrogen oxide by 69 percent and mercury by 80 percent. These reductions are aggressive but realistic and allow power plants to bring their operations within the scope of the new law without causing them fatal economic hardship."
Although the power plants are located throughout the country, the chemicals still travel to New England and hurt the air. According to Gregg, the jet stream takes the chemical emissions to the Northeast.
"New England and the Northeast have long suffered as the 'tailpipe' of the nation when it comes to air pollution and its detrimental effects on our environment," Gregg said. "This pollution produces smog, haze and acid rain, threatening the health of those most susceptible to sickness, including the young, disabled or elderly and greatly damaging the quality of our ecosystem."
Besides calling for a reduction of harmful chemicals, the legislation also asks the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency to present accurate air quality forecasts throughout the nation, according to Gregg's office.
Gregg, who also chairs the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, State and the Judiciary, already has helped New Hampshire get $6 million over the last two years to develop an air pollution forecasting system. The forecasting service should go into effect next year, according to Gregg's office.
(Daniel Remin is an intern with the Boston University Washington News Service.)
Published in The Manchester Union Leader, in New Hampshire.
Local Mayors Plead Case With Sen. Kennedy
WASHINGTON-- In an early-morning conference call Thursday, 17 Massachusetts mayors told Democratic Sen. Edward M. Kennedy the same thing: Though cities and towns across the nation are expected to boost their homeland security efforts, their budgets just can't keep up.
At a time when the federal Homeland Security Department classifies the risk of terrorist attacks at Level Orange, or high, the mayors spoke of laying off firefighters and police officers. Gloucester Mayor John Bell said his town has laid off 15 employees of the police and fire departments, and Springfield Mayor Michael Albano said his police force is down 76 officers and his fire department is down 57 people.
Kennedy said Brockton Mayor Jack Yunitz put it best when he said that first responders are "fighting for their jobs as they're fighting to protect us."
"We've been hearing about homeland security money for a long time," Haverhill Mayor John Guerin told Kennedy and the other mayors, adding that his city could face a 20 percent cut in public safety services next year. "It makes no sense to have all kinds of homeland security money out there and I have five police officers on one shift."
Kennedy responded to the mayors by saying, "It seemed that if we were going to provide $9 billion for foreign countries that we should have a similar commitment to our cities and towns."
After listening to the concerns of the mayors, including Lawrence Mayor Michael J. Sullivan, Kennedy took to the Senate floor and pleaded with his colleagues to amend President Bush's $74.7 million supplemental war budget to include more money for homeland security. Bush's budget includes more than $9 billion for the State Department and for aid to foreign countries, Kennedy said, but only $3.8 billion was earmarked for homeland security programs. Kennedy said that is simply not enough.
"These first responders, when they signed up for their jobs, didn't think they would be taking on the additional threat of terrorism," he said in his Senate speech.
The Senate's version of the supplemental budget, which came to the floor hours after the Kennedy-mayors conference call, would provide more money to help local and state governments meet their homeland security costs. It includes $105 million to help vaccinate first responders against smallpox, and with shots costing $85 apiece, Kennedy said, the money would cover vaccinations for 1.23 million people. Health departments in Massachusetts are slated to get $2 million to vaccinate its first responders, Kennedy said.
Pittsfield Mayor Sara Hathoway said during the conference call that additional homeland security funds are desperately needed to prepare the community for the possibility of a large-scale disaster and to make residents feel safe.
"The communities want to see some reassurance that there is a new response level, a set of resources to address this changed world we live in," she said.
The mayors also talked to Kennedy about sites in their communities that could be potential targets for terrorist attacks, such as nuclear power plants and major waterways. The need for protection at the local level has never been greater, and the mayors said they wanted to see some of the federal dollars that Bush promised to cities and towns after Sept. 11.
"As the president prepares for post-war problems, he shouldn't forget post-war America and what's going to happen here," said North Adams Mayor John Barrett III.
"It seems we can always find money to help foreign countries," Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino said. "We need money for domestic issues."
Fixing up a local armory to house a regional training center for firefighters and emergency personnel tops Guerin's list of steps to improve the security of Haverhill and surrounding towns. He said that police and firefighters are training constantly, with an increased focus on disaster alerts.
"You never know where terrorism is going to strike," he said. "We may not be a prime target on anyone's radar screen, but when the security alert goes up, cities go to work."
"If disaster does strike in whatever form," Guerin added, "we need to make sure we're able to respond to it."
Published in The Lawrence Eagle Tribune, in Massachusetts.
Gregg Legislation to Reduce Air Pollution
By Kim Forrest
WASHINGTON--New Hampshire's Sen. Judd Gregg (R-NH) is co-sponsoring legislation aimed at decreasing the emission of harmful pollutants by power plants. The bill has won the praise of New Hampshire's attorney general but has cast Gregg as an opponent of the Bush administration's "Clear Skies" air pollution control initiative.
Gregg co-sponsored the Clean Air Planning Act of 2003 with Sens. Lincoln Chafee (R-RI) and Tom Carper (D-DE). The legislation would cap the amounts of carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and mercury that power plants can emit while giving the plants flexibility to decide how best to stay within the caps. One option would be to buy pollution "credits" from plants that are within the caps. This market-based "cap and trade" method has proven effective in dealing with acid rain.
In a statement, Gregg said that "New England and the Northeast have long suffered as the 'tailpipe' of the nation when it comes to air pollution and its detrimental effects on our environment. The pollution produces smog, haze and acid rain, threatening the health of those most susceptible to sickness, including the young, disabled or elderly, and greatly damaging the quality of our ecosystem."
The cap and trade method would give companies a variety of ways to comply with the standards. For example, companies already well within the compliance rates can gain "credits" that they can sell to companies that exceed the limits.
"The net effect will be cleaner air at minimal cost to the industry," Gregg's statement reads.
According to Gregg, the reductions in pollution should be significant because his bill is similar to legislation enacted in New Hampshire that has resulted in fewer emissions.
"Specifically, emissions of sulfur dioxide will be reduced by 80 percent, nitrogen oxide by 69 percent and mercury by 80 percent," Gregg said in his statement. "These reductions are aggressive, but realistic…"
His measure also is directed at reducing carbon dioxide emissions; President Bush's Clear Skies Initiative does not include carbon dioxide in its regulations.
"Carbon dioxide is one of the leading causes of climate change, and legislation dealing with clean air must address carbon dioxide emissions," Gregg said.
Gregg's bill would also provide an air-quality forecasting service that would provide warnings to transportation planners, power generators and people who are sensitive to air pollution Gregg already has secured $6 million to start such a program late next year in New Hampshire.
Peter Heed, New Hampshire's Attorney General, praised Gregg's legislation, saying he hoped it would be a big help to Granite Staters.
"I'm very supportive of what Sen. Gregg and the other senators have done," he said in a phone interview Thursday. "It mirrors legislation we have already in this state." He expressed concern that carbon dioxide "has been left out of other bills. In New Hampshire, [these pollutants] have had a devastating effect on us."
Catherine Corkery, spokeswoman for the New Hampshire Sierra Club, said that while the group is still reviewing the legislation, it is likely to support the bill.
"The New Hampshire Sierra Club has always been encouraged by the senator's efforts," she said. "We're concerned that there might be holes…but we're still trying to piece it through…. We're definitely encouraged by [Gregg's] interest."
Published in The Keene Sentinel, in New Hampshire.
Snowe and Collins Examine First Responder Funds
WASHINGTON – State and local emergency first responders need more money and more flexibility, Maine Republican Sens. Olympia J. Snowe and Susan M. Collins said Thursday as the Senate debated President Bush's wartime spending request.
"I have met with first responders in Maine and know the difficulties they are facing, especially in terms of flexibility within funding," Snowe said in a statement. According to Elizabeth Wenk, Snowe's press secretary, the senator plans to introduce legislation within the next few weeks to allow communities to spend a portion of federal homeland security money however they see fit.
Waterville Fire Chief Ray Poulin, said in an interview that money for training is crucial for local first responders, such as police officers, firefighters and paramedics. While the state has bought new equipment, such as biohazard suits and meters to test air quality, the firefighters don't know how to use it, Poulin said.
"The city can't afford to send 50 firefighters to training," Poulin said. Typically, firefighters will perform training drills with new equipment, but the city can't afford to pay overtime to train the entire company, he added.
Next week, Collins will hold hearings in the Governmental Affairs Committee to address the amount of money that goes to first responders and how they can spend it, according to Megan Sowards, Collins' press secretary. Collins, who chairs the committee, has said she is concerned about port security, an issue critical to Maine, which has more than 3,000 miles of coastline.
The hearings will be designed to determine specific estimates of just how much money first responders need, Collins said Thursday in an interview. "We need to recognize that the needs in our communities are diverse," she said. "I suspect there should be additional funding."
The administration's $3.8 billion request for homeland security funds out of the nearly $75 billion supplemental war request the president has sent to Congress "is a bit on the light side," Collins speculated. However, she pointed out that there is a lot of money "still in the pipeline" for homeland security that has not made it to the local level.
Some states, particularly those with long borders, vulnerable ports or international airports, may need more money, she added. Portland Police Chief Michael Chitwood will testify at one hearing next week on the financial burdens faced by communities that need to beef up airport security. After the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the city police provided extra security at the Portland International Airport.
While she said additional money might be necessary, Collins criticized some Democrats for attempting to increase federal spending arbitrarily on homeland security without providing evidence of specific needs.
"Some of these amendments are just plucking figures out of the air," she said. "I don't think that's a good way to decide."
Published in The Kennebec Journal and The Morning Sentinel, in Maine.
