Subject: RELEASE: Senator Clinton Introduces "Second Responder" Legislation to Train and Integrate Construction Workers in Disaster Response Efforts
From: "Clinton, Press Office (Clinton)" <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 21 Dec 2007 11:07:22 -0500

Statements & Releases - Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, New York

 

For Immediate Release

December 21, 2007

Contact:
Clinton Press Office (202) 224-2243

 

SENATOR CLINTON INTRODUCES "SECOND RESPONDER" LEGISLATION

TO TRAIN AND INTEGRATE CONSTRUCTION WORKERS IN DISASTER RESPONSE EFFORTS

 

Washington, DC - Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton announced today that she
has introduced legislation to establish a comprehensive national system
for skilled construction workers to assist first responders in response
to natural and man-made disasters and terrorist attacks.  The
legislation will train, certify, register, and integrate skilled
construction workers into disaster preparedness and response activities,
and establish a database that federal, state and local governments can
use to identify and mobilize this workforce for disaster response
activities.  

"Construction workers were some of the unsung heroes after the September
11 attacks," said Senator Clinton.  "These workers have risked their
lives to volunteer at Ground Zero and other disaster sites, including
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and the Minneapolis bridge collapse.
However, we have learned that we can do a better job of training,
mobilizing, and integrating this workforce into response activities.
This legislation will create a national system of trained construction
workers who stand ready to serve their country as 'second responders' in
the event of a disaster or terrorist attack."

"We commend Senator Clinton for introducing this legislation to provide
increased training assistance to 'second responders'," said Mark H.
Ayers, President of the Building & Construction Trades Department,
AFL-CIO.  "For over 100 years, America's building trades unions, along
with our contractor partners who jointly administer our apprenticeship
and training programs, have been the leaders in providing unsurpassed
skills training and technical education in the construction industry.
Unfortunately, the times in which we now live require a new, equally
important level of skills training that pertains to disaster response.
As was so vividly clear at the scene of the World Trade Center collapse
on 9/11, the men and women of the skilled trades play an important role
in rescue and recovery operations.  Senator Clinton's bill is the right
step towards insuring that these skilled workers have the necessary
training and skills; that they are certified and registered; and that
the government then has the capacity to quickly mobilize this workforce
in the event of a catastrophe."

Construction craft workers provide critical skills in support of first
responders at disaster sites, including demolition, electrical and
pipeline maintenance, hazardous waste clean-up, equipment operations,
and traffic control.  They also bring essential equipment, such as
welding machines, backhoes, cranes, and dozers.  These skilled workers
volunteered at Ground Zero in the immediate aftermath of September 11,
as well as in the Gulf Region in the aftermath of Hurricane Rita and
Katrina, and a number of other disaster sites.  

However, a lack of coordination and training impeded the efforts to
integrate the workers into the disaster response efforts.  There is
currently no system in place to mobilize this workforce or ensure the
safe and effective integration of construction craft workers with first
responder operations.  There is also no system to ensure that these
workers have the health and safety training and equipment they need to
work at disaster relief sites.  This bill, the "Skilled Trades Second
Responder Act of 2007," will address this need by creating a national
system and registry of trained construction workers to be integrated
into first responder disaster relief efforts.

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