(Washington, D.C.)–Congressman Jim Langevin today announced that the U.S. Department of Defense has approved the creation of a Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Team (WMD-CST) in Rhode Island.  At a House Armed Services Committee hearing last week, Langevin pressed department officials for a timetable for the team to be comprised of Rhode Island National Guard personnel.  To date, 32 teams have been approved.

The Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2003 requires that the Defense Department establish one WMD-CST in every state and territory.  Langevin  supported inclusion of this provision during House Armed Services Committee consideration of the measure, as the teams will provide critical medical and technical advice following a terrorist attack with a chemical, biological, or nuclear weapon.

“We must be sure that these teams are fielded as quickly as possible in order to provide the greatest security for Rhode Islanders and the American people,” said Congressman Langevin, a member of both the Armed Services Committee and the Select Committee on Homeland Security.  “These Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Teams will provide critical coordination and response efforts should events demand their deployment.  As our nation continues to sharpen its focus on protecting the homeland and fighting terrorism aborad, Rhode Island's CST will become a valuable local partner in the war on terror.”

“As Chairman of the State’s Emergency Management Advisory Council, I commend Representative Langevin for fighting on behalf of our state to secure this valuable resource for Rhode Island. This team will go far toward augmenting our state’s ability to respond not only to terrorist attack, but also to accidental events. Every enhancement we make in homeland security, whether it be training exercises or additional equipment, better enables us to mitigate the consequences of manmade, natural or accidental events – events that are far more likely to touch Rhode Island,” Fogarty said. Fogarty also commended General Centracchio, head of the state’s EMA, “for his two-year commitment to bringing the program to Rhode Island. Representative Langevin and General Centracchio have brought a tremendous asset to this state.”

Major General Reginald Centracchio, the Adjutant General and Homeland Security Director for Rhode Island stated, "This is tremendous news and another step in continuing to improve Rhode Island's preparedness. A National Guard Civil Support Team brings state of the art resources to both the Emergency Management Agency and local first responders' ability to detect and defend against weapons of mass destruction. This team greatly contributes to our capability of ensuring public safety."

To ensure that states gain access to these important homeland defense resources as quickly as possible, Langevin is a cosponsor of H.R. 2012, which would require that the Department of Defense fully comply with the WMD-CST provisions of the 2003 Defense Authorization Act by September 30, 2004.  In addition, during debate on the Wartime Supplemental Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2003, Langevin supported an amendment to provide $207 million for the development and fielding of additional WMD-CSTs.

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