WASHINGTON, DC-- Senator Susan Collins, who chairs the Senate Homeland Security Committee, which oversees FEMA, has made the following statement regarding the announcement that Maine’s Emergency Management Agency Director, Art Cleaves, has been named the Region I Director of FEMA:
Senator Collins said, “I am pleased to have recommended Art for this important position. Through my chairmanship on the Senate Homeland Security Committee, I have worked closely with Art Cleaves and know him to be an outstanding advocate for state homeland security issues, and a proponent of reforming the homeland security grant programs.
“His departure will be a huge loss for MEMA, but one counterbalanced by the fact that Art will run the FEMA regional office that covers our state. As we are witnessing now in response to the floods that have devastated parts of York County, FEMA plays a key role in responding to—and helping communities recover from—disasters both natural and man made. I congratulate Art, wish him well, and look forward to working with him in this new position.”