On June 11, 2008, the House Homeland Security Committee (HHSC)
held a hearing to examine whether the Department of Homeland
Security (DHS) is ready to lead relief efforts in the event of a
major U.S. catastrophe. Despite the vast amount of resources
dedicated to improving DHS's disaster-response capacity, the
consensus of the hearing was that the organization is unprepared to
provide adequate post-disaster leadership.
Given the number of cataclysmic events that have recently
befallen the United States and the tax revenue spent combating the
ineffective responses to these events, the hearing's conclusion is
problematic. Yet the answer to this dilemma is that Washington
should do less, not more. Congress must recognize the federal
government's limitations with regard to disaster response and press
DHS to facilitate the creation of a comprehensive grassroots
response network comprising federal, state, and local governments
as well as nonprofits and the private sector.
Recipe for Disaster
Since 9/11, disaster response has become increasingly
federalized. Federal disaster declarations are at an all-time high,
and Congress seems dedicated to policy initiatives focused on the
role of DHS in disaster response. For example, a recent HHSC report
on mass gatherings included a plethora of federally based policy
initiatives. However, by providing a false assurance that
Washington will be able to provide immediate or effective
assistance, over-federalization increases the risk that states will
not be prepared for catastrophe.
The lag time between the advent of a disaster and the arrival of
federal assistance can be significant. The reality is that states,
local municipalities, and the private sector must lead relief
efforts in the wake of a major disaster. The federal government may
require days to identify needs, marshal resources, and respond to a
devastating event that exceeds a state's response capacity. The
first 72 hours of a disaster, as demonstrated by calamities such as
Hurricane Katrina, are a critical period in which aid can make a
difference: Lives can be saved and essential infrastructure
restored.
Shift the Focus Outside the Beltway
In order to maximize our nation's ability to respond to
disasters effectively, Congress must shift its focus outside the
Beltway. Rather than leading all catastrophe-relief efforts, DHS
should act as a vehicle to ensure that state, local, nonprofit, and
private-sector entities are well-prepared for disasters. The need
for such a shift has been widely noted. For instance, during the
June 11 HHSC hearing, the Director of the Alabama Department of
Homeland Security emphasized the need to empower states and create
community-based programs to assist disaster victims
effectively.
A federalized approach to disaster response is not only poor
policy, but also eliminates the ability of the states to choose the
right course of action for their citizens, a role protected under
state police power. The degradation of this power violates the
constitutional separation of powers between the states and the
federal government. DHS must respect the tenets of federalism by
reversing the federalization of disaster.
A Network-Based Approach
A decentralized approach to preparedness is essential to
effective disaster response. DHS should focus on creating a
regionally based network of federal, state, local, nonprofit, and
private-sector entities.
This network should operate under a grassroots structure in
which state and local organizations are tasked with on-the-ground
implementation of disaster response efforts, ensuring the agile
flow of resources and manpower between the states in the wake of
disaster. This structure is essential to eliminate the lag time
between the advent of disaster and the federal response.
Streamline Congressional Oversight
The urgent need to consolidate oversight of DHS was reiterated
during the June 11 HHSC hearing. As a result, Congress should
consolidate oversight of DHS into the standing homeland security
committees.
Currently, jurisdiction over homeland security issues is held by
a vast number of committees. Such a jurisdictional structure is
illogical, is impractical, and erodes the delineated role of
Congress in checking executive branch power. Indeed, DHS is forced
to testify at duplicative hearings and respond to reporting
requirements from 86 different committees and subcommittees.
Committees unrelated to homeland security are often uninformed
on homeland security issues and therefore treat oversight as a
political game in which DHS is the inevitable loser. Until Congress
streamlines the oversight process, it will be difficult for DHS to
facilitate, let alone lead, post-disaster relief efforts
effectively.
Recognizing Federal Limitations
Congress must enact policy that respects the principles of
federalism and recognizes the limitations on the federal
government's ability to respond effectively to disasters.
Beltway-centric solutions that insist upon expanding rather than
refining the role of the federal government in disaster response
could have devastating consequences.
Jena Baker McNeill, J.D., is a Policy Analyst for Homeland
Security in the Douglas and Sarah Allison Center for Foreign Policy
Studies, a division of the Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis
Institute for International Studies, at The Heritage
Foundation.