STAND. COM. REP. 870

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: H.C.R. No. 50

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on International Affairs, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 50 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS TO ELIMINATE STATE AND LOCAL COST SHARE REQUIREMENTS FOR HOMELAND SECURITY GRANTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this concurrent resolution is to urge the United States Congress to eliminate state and local cost share requirements for homeland security grants.

The Department of Defense and the Hawaii Government Employees Association testified in support of this concurrent resolution.

Hawaii and its counties have already expended substantial portions of their limited financial resources to implement new security measures to protect our residents against foreign and domestic terrorism. Congress has indicated that future federal grants and funding may be made available to the states for homeland security, but on a matching cost-share basis. Your Committee, however, recognizes that any matching fund requirement may be an obstacle for the State to meet due to the current economic situation.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on International Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 50 and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on International Affairs,

 

____________________________

HELÉNE H. HALE, Chair