From U.S. Congressman Dr. Roger Marshall's Office...
WASHINGTON - As Ranking Member of the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology Subcommittee on Environment, U.S. Congressman Roger Marshall, M.D. is proud to announce the participation of Kansas Adjutant General, Maj. Gen. Lee E. Tafanelli, on the panel to speak about his experience in reducing the impacts from severe wind events.
As Adjutant General, Maj. Gen. Tafanelli oversees the activities of the Adjutant General’s Department, including providing personnel and administration and training guidance for more than 6,400 soldiers and airmen of the Kansas Army and Air National Guard. He serves as the director of the Kansas Division of Emergency Management and guides a professional core of personnel that prepare for and respond to disasters. Tafanelli also serves as the director of Kansas Homeland Security and has oversight of budget and administration of the Civil Air Patrol. His testimony to the committees will provide legislators a better understanding of how state and local officials coordinate with federal agencies and any hurdles that exist to tapping into federal resources following severe weather events.
“Our state and local leaders have some of the most important experiences and understanding of weather impacts on our communities,” said Rep. Marshall. “I look forward to welcoming a fellow Kansan to Washington D.C. and hearing from Major General Lee Tafanelli. As the director of the Kansas Division of Emergency Management, his experience and knowledge of emergency management practices will be a valuable asset to members of the committees.”
The Joint Hearing will be held Wednesday, Dec. 4. Also providing testimony for the committees are:
- Dr. Scott Weaver, Director of the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Program, National Institute of Standards and Technology
- Dr. Delong Zuo, Associate Professor of Civil Engineering, National Wind Institute, Texas Tech University
- Ryan Colker, Vice President of Innovation, International Code Council; Executive Director, The Alliance for National and Community Resilience
Live coverage of the hearing will be available at https://science.house.gov/hearings/calm-before-the-storm-reauthorizing-the-national-windstorm-impact-reduction-program