Democrats Looking To Establish "National Emergency Centers"

Are those anything like "Relocation Camps?" Or maybe "Work Camps" or "Re-education Centers?" That may be a bit on the paranoid side, but certainly something to keep in the back of your mind as you read about Rep. Alcee Hastings' (D-FL) latest bill submitted to the House of Representatives. Submitted as HR 645, it is sub-titled the National Emergency Centers Establishment Act.

It seems inoccuous at first glance, but you really need to read the bill to see some pretty unsavory language, language that could be used for purposes other than what the stated intention of the bill is.

For example, from Section 2 of HR 645:

(b) Purpose of National Emergency Centers- The purpose of a national emergency center shall be to use existing infrastructure-- (1) to provide temporary housing, medical, and humanitarian assistance to individuals and families dislocated due to an emergency or major disaster; (2) to provide centralized locations for the purposes of training and ensuring the coordination of Federal, State, and local first responders; (3) to provide centralized locations to improve the coordination of preparedness, response, and recovery efforts of government, private, and not-for-profit entities and faith-based organizations; and (4) to meet other appropriate needs, as determined by the Secretary of Homeland Security.

Item #4 is what bothers me the most here. The language used there is extremely vague. Whereas Section 6 of HR 645 defines the terms "closed military installation," "emergency," "major disaster," and "military installation," it does not define the term "appropriate needs." In fact, nowhere in the bill does it even hint at what these "appropriate needs" might be.

You can use your imagination and decide what this could mean under certain circumstances.

I say this bill needs to die. The last thing I will ever want is to be put into some "relocation center" (concentration camp) just because some bureaucrat says I have to go. I cannot think of one single scenario where that would ever be a requirement for me or my family. Not one.

You can access the full text of HR 645, as submitted by Rep. Alcee Hastings, on-line here:

National Emergency Centers Establishment Act
OpenCongress.org
January 22, 2009