Donald Payne: “I commend Administrator Fugate for accepting the FEMA National Advisory Council's recommendations.”

We cannot afford to balance the budget on the backs of our first responders.

I hope the witnesses here today will help me understand why the Department rushed to reorganize--without Congressional authorization--at a time when permanent leaders were in place in only one of the impacted offices.

This is very, very important work we are doing and the witnesses and very personal to me and what it means to children.

DHS has a critical role to play in the biodefense space. I am glad that Ms. McSally shares my commitment to ensuring that the Department's programs are responsive to the current threat environment and make meaningful contributions to help…