Homeland Security: Reforming Federal Grants to Better Meet Outstanding Needs Page: 4 of 24
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then focus on the system of homeland security grants and explain how the
system continues to be highly fragmented, potentially resulting in
duplication and overlap among federal programs. Finally, I would like to
focus on grants design options to improve targeting, fiscal accountability,
and results through the intergovernmental homeland security partnership.
This testimony draws upon our wide-ranging ongoing and completed work
on federal grants management issues, grant reform efforts, homeland
security, and performance management initiatives. We conducted our work
in accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards.
Background The Council on Foreign Relations study sets the stage for rethinking the
federal role in assisting communities prepare for homeland security.
Although acknowledging that the nation's preparedness has improved, the
Council's report highlights some of the significant gaps in preparedness
including shortfalls in personnel, equipment, communications, and other
critical capabilities in local services.
The Council's report attempts to fill a void by estimating unmet needs for
emergency responders. The Council's 5-year estimate of approximately
$98 billion across all levels of government was developed in concert with
The Concord Coalition and the Center for Strategic and Budgetary
Assessments. It was based on data made available by professional
associations and others in the areas of fire service, urban search and
rescue, hospital preparedness, public health, emergency 911 systems,
interoperable communications, emergency operations centers,
animal/agricultural emergency response, emergency medical services
systems, emergency management planning and coordination, and
emergency response regional exercises. However, the report clearly states
that it does not include estimates for certain costs such as overtime for
training and other estimated needs in several critical mission areas, such as
the needs of police forces, because national police organizations were
unable to provide the information.
The total estimate is characterized in the report as being very preliminary
and imprecise given the absence of comprehensive national preparedness
standards. As the report itself acknowledges, the analysis is intended to
foster national debate by focusing on the baseline of preparedness and
steps needed to promote higher levels of readiness.GAO-03-1146T
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United States. General Accounting Office. Homeland Security: Reforming Federal Grants to Better Meet Outstanding Needs, text, September 3, 2003; Washington D.C.. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc292037/m1/4/: accessed April 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.