jim mullen, who is the current president of the national emergency managers association. and also the director of the washington department of emergency management. he is representing the national emergency managers association. and last but certainly not least, mr. michael depalo who is the director and general manager of the port authority trans hudson corporation. representing the american public transit association. thank each of you for being here this morning. and we look forward to hearing from each of you as you give us your thoughts and opinions on the grants reform that has been introduced. this bill is on effort by this committee last year and how the grant is -- has been set up. but we recognize that there are challenges and we believe that it is also time for reform. if you could, maybe keep your comments two to three minutes and summarize it for the committee. bear in mind that your written testimony will be placed in the record so before i begin with the open testimony, let me recognize mr. price. >> thank you, mr. chairman. i'd like to join with you in wel

jim mullen is the current president of the national emergency managers association in the director for the emergency management. last but not least, the director and general manager of the port authority corp. representing the american public association. thank you for being here. we look forward to hearing from each of you as you give us your thoughts and opinions on the reform that has been introduced. this is how the grants have been set up. we recognize there are challenges. begin, let me recognize a surprise. >> thank you. we're working on this new proposal. we have discussed this with the administrator. we want to discuss it with you. the chairman has introduced each of our panelists. i will welcome you and say we better get on with the testimony. >> we will start with you. did you could talk. we will go from my left right down. >> the morning. thank you for the opportunity to testify. i serve as an operator in houston texas. i and the current president of the firefighters' association. i am pleased to appear on behalf of this. the most fundamental purpose of government is protec

mullen will have his jersey retired by the club. john henry smith is at oracle arena tonight and has more on this special evening. john? >> reporter: well, jimis everywhere in oracle arena, on the back of the chairs, on the back of the warriors as they warm up, and soon up in the rafters as the warriors prepare to retire chris mullens number 17 in the requisite style you would expect for one of the franchise's iconic players. so many of his ex-teammates are here tonight and they say tonight's honor couldn't happen to a better guy. >> it's a very special thing for a player when that happens. it doesn't happen very off. there aren't a lot of numbers to go around, as you know. when you realize nobody will ever where that number again in the history of the franchise it means quite a lot to a player. >> this whole team embraced me. he didn't talk much. didn't speak much but he just followed by example, and he was always in the gym working and when i heard that he was a gym rat, i saw firsthand when i got he here. he really was a gym rat. >> the way he was able to be a star player without the physical attributes that most guys have to be stars, he