Today, House Appropriations Chairman C.W. Bill Young selected U.S. Representative Jo Ann Emerson (MO-08) to serve on the new Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security (Subcommittee).

 

"I am honored to be selected to serve on the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee," said Emerson. "After September 11th, it became clear that our chief responsibility in Congress is to make sure we do all we can to protect American citizens. Fulfilling that objective means making our government more efficient, more responsive and finally, more prepared with the tools needed to win the War on Terrorism – at home and abroad. Serving with my colleagues on this Subcommittee will allow me to ensure that resources are directed so we can accomplish this goal."

 

"Representative Jo Ann Emerson's experience on both the Appropriations and her former authorizing committees, makes her a natural fit for the new Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security," said Chairman Young. "Assisting in setting up and overseeing the new Department of Homeland Security is one of the most important issues before the 108th Congress. I am pleased that Jo Ann has answered this call to service and I believe she will work well with all the parties to strengthen the security of our homeland."

 

Two of the largest components of Homeland Security - TSA and Coast Guard - are in the current Transportation Subcommittee which Emerson has served on since 2001. This existing subcommittee will become the Subcommittee on Homeland Security and will be chaired by Rep. Harold Rogers (R-KY). Other programs in the subcommittee include: Customs, Secret Service, Federal Protective Service, Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (from Treasury-Postal), Immigration and Naturalization Service, First Responder programs, National Infrastructure Protection (from Commerce-Justice-State), Animal Plant Health Inspection Service and Plum Island (from Agriculture), National Communications System and Bio-Weapons Defense Center (from Defense), various energy and nuclear program (from Energy and Water), Metro Medical Response, Office of Emergency Preparedness, National Stockpile, National Disaster Medical System (from Labor-HHS), FEMA (from VA-HUD). The Subcommittee will work directly with the Select Committee on Homeland Security, which is responsible for assessing and outlining the needs of the Federal agency tasked with protecting our homeland from terrorist attack.

 

With her new assignment, Emerson will remain a member of two other Appropriations Subcommittees – the Agriculture Subcommittee and the Energy and Water Subcommittee.