Lieberman increases focus on Homeland Security with new subcommittees

Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) yesterday named subcommittee heads and the formation of two new subcommittees that reflect expanded jurisdiction and focus on homeland security issues.

The two new subcommittees are:

• Disaster Recovery, Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.), chairman, with the ranking Republican member to be designated at a later date, to consider issues related to the government's work helping communities to recover from disasters in general and Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in particular; and
  
• State, Local, and Private Sector Preparedness and Integration, Sen. Mark Pryor, (D-Ark.), chairman, with Sen. John Sununu (R-N.H.), the ranking Republican, to oversee Homeland Security Department efforts on state and local fusion centers and law enforcement grants and integration of private-sector efforts to prepare for and respond to emergencies.

• Investigations, Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.), chairman; Sen. Norm Coleman (R-Minn.), ranking Republican, including oversight over the efficiency and economy of operations of all branches of government and the adherence to rules by those doing business with the government;
  
• Government Management, the Federal Workforce and the District of Columbia, Sen. Daniel Akaka, (D-Hawaii), chairman; Sen. George Voinovich, (R-Ohio), ranking Republican member, including oversight over the effectiveness of national security staffing and the management of all agencies and their programs; and
  
• Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services, and International Security, Sen. Thomas Carper, (D-Del.), chairman; Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), ranking Republican member, including oversight over federal financial management, federal IT management and the Census.