Thad Cochran: “I am sure Senators are aware that the Governmental Affairs Committee of the Senate has jurisdiction over the legislative…”

“I am sure Senators are aware that the Governmental Affairs Committee of the Senate has jurisdiction over the legislative authority, the law, creating the Department of Homeland Security. In that, legislation grant programs are described, allocation formulas are contained, that give guidance to the distribution of Federal funds to States and localities for various programs. The Senator from New York is suggesting, by her first amendment, that the appropriations bill that is before the Senate should be amended to change the way the grants are being given to States and localities. The Senate Governmental Affairs Committee has already addressed this issue. Hearings have been held. A review and consideration of various changes in the allocation process have all been reviewed. And the committee has acted. They have reported out of the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee S. 1245. That is a Senate bill called the Homeland Security Grant Enhancement Act. The act, as reported by the committee, will modify the formula for distributing domestic preparedness grants. If the Senate wants to take action as suggested by the Senator from New York, it can adopt that bill or amend it as may be suggested by the Senator from New York. That is the appropriate vehicle for revising first responder grant funding, not this appropriations bill. We are bound by the law. We are funding the programs authorized by the law. We are giving funds according to the priorities of that law.”