They feel they are being nickeled and dimed in terms of the Agency.

I believe that our first responsibility is to support the victims and their families.

I hope this program stays focused on terrorism response and that we make sure that funds authorized don't just end up augmenting the Firefighters Grant Program.

I am very concerned that when the money is allocated that it is actually used for the things that you want it to.

For the benefit of the committee members, by 2004, we could lose about 55 percent of our people through early retirement or regular retirement.

I would like to have you do that in terms of what your current needs are, what additional needs you are going to have when you take on these new responsibilities.

I hope this program stays focused on terrorism response and that we make sure that funds authorized don't just end up augmenting the Firefighters Grant Program.

I sincerely believe that your Agency is the right one to handle this initiative.

I think it is incumbent on your Agency to work with the others and make sure that they get the information that they need.

I hope that as a result of these hearings, we can ascertain how we can help support our first responders in their home communities.

I have found from my experience that how well we treat them now will have a lot to do with the kind of response that we are going to get from them in the future.

The stronger the relationship between FEMA and State and local first responders the better our Nation's overall preparation will be in the event of a terrorist attack.