ment within the region of which the Re-
gional Advisory Council is aware. 
(e) AREA OFFICES.—There shall be an Area Office 
for the Pacific, an Area Office for the Caribbean, and an 
Area Office in Alaska, as components in the appropriate 
Regional Offices. 
SEC. 103. AUTHORITY AND RESPONSIBILITIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator shall provide 
the Federal leadership necessary to prepare for, respond 
to, recover from, and mitigate hazards. 
(b) STAFFORD ACT.—The Administrator shall assist 
the President in carrying out the functions under the Rob-
ert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance 
Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.) and carrying out all func-
tions and authorities given to the Administrator under 
that Act. 
(c) MISSION.—The responsibilities of Administrator 
shall include carrying out the mission of the Agency by 
leading and supporting the Nation in a comprehensive 
emergency management system of— 
(1) mitigation, by taking sustained actions to 
reduce or eliminate long-term risks to people and 
property from hazards and their effects; 
(2) preparedness, by planning, training, and 
building the emergency management profession to 
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prepare effectively for mitigating, responding to, and 
recovering from any hazard; 
(3) response, by conducting emergency oper-
ations to save lives and property through positioning 
emergency equipment, personnel, and supplies, 
through evacuating potential victims, through pro-
viding food, water, shelter, and medical care to those 
in need, and through restoring critical public serv-
ices; and 
(4) recovery, by rebuilding communities so indi-
viduals, businesses, and governments can function 
on their own, return to normal life, and protect 
against future hazards. 
(d) RESPONSE DUTIES.—In carrying out subsection 
(c)(3), the Administrator shall, at a minimum— 
(1) help to ensure the effectiveness of emer-
gency response providers in responding to a hazard; 
(2) coordinate and provide the Federal Govern-
ment’s response to hazards; 
(3) build a comprehensive national incident 
management system with Federal, State, and local 
government personnel, agencies, and authorities to 
respond to hazards; 
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(4) consolidate existing Federal Government 
emergency response plans into a single, coordinated 
plan to be known as the National Response Plan; 
(5) administer and ensure the implementation 
of the National Response Plan, including coordi-
nating and ensuring the readiness of each emergency 
support function under the National Response Plan; 
and 
(6) help ensure the acquisition of operable and 
interoperable communications capabilities by Fed-
eral, State, local, and tribal governments and emer-
gency response providers. 
(e) CONTINUITY OF GOVERNMENT.—The Adminis-
trator shall prepare and implement the plans and pro-
grams of the Federal Government for— 
(1) continuity of operations; 
(2) continuity of Government; and 
(3) continuity of plans. 
(f) OTHER DUTIES.—The Administrator shall— 
(1) coordinate the National Advisory Council 
authorized by this Act; 
(2) maintain and operate within the Agency the 
National Response Coordination Center (or its suc-
cessor); 
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