Two congresswomen from the Sunshine State will lead the U.S. House Emergency Preparedness, Response and Recovery Subcommittee during the next two years.
U.S. Rep. Val Demings, D-Fla., who rose to serve as the chief of the Orlando Police Department, announced last week that she will chair the subcommittee which is under the U.S. House Homeland Security Committee.
“look forward to this expanded role as we work to keep Floridians and all Americans safe from natural disasters, COVID-19, and terrorism. As a former 27-year law enforcement officer and Orlando’s chief of police, I know firsthand that adequate preparation, education, and resources are the key to effectively managing any crisis,” Demings said. “I am proud of the bipartisan work we have done over the past several years to bring additional counter-terrorism and FEMA support to Florida and communities across the country and look forward to expanding on these successes.”
“The House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Recovery (EPRR) is responsible for oversight and legislative activities around preparing for and responding to mass-disaster events. It has direct oversight over the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Department of Homeland Security’s Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office,” the congresswoman’s office noted. “The EPRR Subcommittee focus areas include federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial preparedness, response, mitigation, resilience, and recovery efforts; private sector integration in preparedness, response and recovery; interoperability and other emergency communications; grant programs administered by the Department; and preparedness for high-consequence biological and chemical threats.
Freshman U.S. Rep. Kat Cammack, R-Fla., will lead the Republicans on the committee.
“It is an honor to serve as the lead Republican on the Emergency Preparedness, Response & Recovery Subcommittee. In Florida, we are all too familiar with hurricanes and other natural disasters, understanding the importance of the federal government’s preparation for and response to these events. Further, the global pandemic we’re all enduring challenges us to look beyond natural disasters as we recover from COVID-19. There is a lot of work to do in addressing the challenges facing our country and I’m excited to work with my colleagues to find smart, achievable solutions,” said Cammack on Friday.
Reach Kevin Derby at kevin.derby@floridadaily.com.
