House Committee on Homeland Security. Thompson, DeFazio, Payne, Titus Urge Trump to Eliminate Cost Share for States Under Coronavirus Disaster Declarations

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thompson, DeFazio, Payne, Titus Urge Trump to Eliminate Cost Share for States Under Coronavirus Disaster Declarations

March 24, 2020 (WASHINGTON) – Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, Rep. Peter A. DeFazio (D-OR), Chairman of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Rep. Donald M. Payne, Jr. (D-NJ), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Recovery, and Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV), Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management, sent a letter to President Trump urging him to, during the coronavirus pandemic, eliminate the 25 percent cost share that states typically are required to bear under emergency and major disaster declarations. “Given the unprecedented nature of this pandemic, SLTT [state, local, tribal and territorial] governments will not be able to shoulder the 25 percent cost share under the PA [Public Assistance] program,” the Members wrote. “We urge you to increase the Federal support and eliminate the non-Federal cost entirely. Such a cost share adjustment will enable SLTT partners to dedicate essential resources to outbreak response efforts.  An increase in the Federal cost share is warranted given the magnitude of the threat facing the nation…” Link to letter #  #  # Media contact: (Homeland Security) Adam Comis  (Transportation and Infrastructure) Sandy Bayley

House Committee on Homeland Security. Thompson, Rose Write DHS on Reports of Extremists Seeking to Exploit Coronavirus Pandemic

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thompson, Rose Write DHS on Reports of Extremists Seeking to Exploit Coronavirus Pandemic

March 24, 2020 (WASHINGTON) – Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, and Rep. Max Rose (D-NY), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Intelligence and Counterterrorism, sent a letter to Elizabeth Neumann, Assistant Secretary for Threat Prevention and Security Policy, at the Department of Homeland Security regarding the Federal government’s efforts to counter potential homeland security threats from violent extremists who may seek to take advantage of the current coronavirus health crisis. Recent reports have highlighted how white supremacist extremists across the world are discussing ways to take advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic to advance violent ends and spread chaos. “As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to upend American life in new and unpredictable ways, we seek an understanding of how DHS is preparing for and mitigating potential homeland security threats from bad actors, such as violent extremists in the United States and abroad, who may seek to exploit vulnerabilities stemming from this metastasizing crisis,” wrote the Members. “To that end, we would like to know how the Office of Threat Prevention and Security Policy is coordinating DHS prevention efforts to account for the evolving threat landscape under the specter of COVID-19.” Link to letter #  #  # Media contact: (Thompson) Adam Comis at 202-225-9978 (Rose) Jonas Edwards-Jenks at 202-225-3371