Reply #114: I have some doozies of quotes from Brown...

[crimsonblue]

Sen Bennett:The concern I have with respect to the creation of this new de-
partment is what happens to your other missions. FEMA has mis-
sions other than security missions. If the primary focus of the new
department is homeland security and that becomes the primary
focus of FEMA, what happens to your other responses in situations
that have nothing to do with homeland security and homeland de-
fense? Have you given any thought to that as you have looked to
your new home?

Mr. BROWN. I have given considerable thought to it, Senator, and
I am honestly convinced that it really has no detrimental effect to
our all-hazards approach that we currently have.I sincerely believe
it will enhance our ability to convince all of our partners, State,
local, and Federal partners, that the whole concept of having an
all-hazards approach is the best way to secure the homeland.
If we are prepared against, and again, I give the example, an-
other example of the all-hazards approach is if we are prepared for
responding to the breaking of a dam, regardless of the cause of the
breaking of that dam, we have secured the homeland. If we are
prepared to respond to wildfires occurring in Colorado, then we
have secured the homeland regardless of the cause of those
wildfires.


Here's Brown arrogantly claiming that the transition to DHS will not impede FEMA at all:

Senator BENNETT. The reason for my concern, and the Chairman
has heard me on this subject before, I was present at the creation
of the Department of Transportation, where we did pretty much
the same thing, brought a number of agencies in from a number
of different places, and frankly, the Department did not function
for years as it should have functioned because the Coast Guard and
the FAA and the Urban Mass Transit Administration and the high-
way people all had very different cultures and different attitudes
and they were not used to thinking in terms of a single Depart-
ment focused on transportation and it took years for the cultures
to change.
I am concerned about that happening here. I am delighted with
your answer, which does demonstrate that you have given some
thought to it, and my only counsel to you is continue to look in that
direction because putting together this new department is going to
be very difficult.
Mr. BROWN. If I can be so bold as to offer a little further insight
into my thinking, FEMA is in essence being taken lock, stock, and
barrel and placed into the new organization, and I think because,
again—I know I am repeating myself—but because of our partner-
ship relationships, it is my belief that our culture, building partner-
ships and working together, will probably, in my way of thinking,
permeate the new organization.
Senator BENNETT. Well, let us hope.

source: Senate Hearing 107–616