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February 2008                                                                                              Volume 14 - Number 1

Children in Disasters...

National Commission on Children and Disasters
By Richard Oestreich

Bill S.1970/H.R3495, sponsored by Senator Christopher Dodd (D) from Connecticut, was drafted to address the needs of children in disasters, such as those highlighted by Hurricane Katrina.  Commonly cited as the "Addressing the Disaster Needs of Children Act of 2007," The Bill was introduced to Congress on August 2, 2007, and passed in the House of Representatives November 6th, 2007.  It is still pending in the Senate.

The Act was intended to implement mechanisms to:

    "Examine, assess, and report" on the needs of children before, during, and after disasters;
    Build upon the findings and recommendations of other government entities or  Commissions on these needs; and
    Report to the President and Congress on the findings and recommendations regarding how to best address these needs.

The Act also provides for a commission, which will gather evidence, hold hearings, secure information from federal agencies, and request assistance from federal agencies when necessary.  The commission will be composed of ten members, including:

    One member appointed by the President;
    One member of a different political party than the member selected above;
    Two members appointed by the Majority Leader of the Senate;
    Two members appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate;
    Two members appointed by the Speaker of the House or Representatives; and
    Two members appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives.

The purpose of the commission is to conduct research and report on its finding to Congress, with a particular emphasis on (1) child health, (2) child care, (3) child welfare, and (4) primary education.  In addition the commission is tasked with considering issues such as housing, transportation, juvenile justice, and public finance mechanisms.  To that end, the commission will be expected to review existing laws relevant to the needs of
children, and look at past and previous events and how they are relevant to mitigation, response, and recovery during a disaster affecting children.

The Act requires the commission to provide both interim and final reports, with the latter due no later than 16 months after the date of enactment.  Sixty days after the final report is submitted, the commission will be terminated.
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