A joint resolution granting the consent of Congress to the Pacific Northwest Emergency Management Arrangement.
PL 105-381 (S.J.Res.35), enacted 11/12/1998

112 STAT. 3402 
PUBLIC LAW 105-381—NOV. 12, 1998 
Public Law 105-381 
105th Congress 
Joint Resolution 
Nov. 12, 1998 
Grsinting the consent of Congress to the Pacific Northwest Emergency Management 
[S.J. Res. 35] 
Arrangement. 
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled. 
State listing. 
SECTION 1. CONGRESSIONAL CONSENT. 
Congress consents to the Pacific Northwest Emergency Manage-
ment An*angement entered into between the States of Alaska, 
Idaho, Oregon, £ind Washington, and the Province of British Colum-
bia and the Yxikon Territory. The arrangement is substantially 
as follows: 
"PACIFIC NORTHWEST EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT 
ARRANGEMENT 
"Whereas, Pacific Northwest emergency msinagement sirrginge-
ment between the government of the States of Alaska, the govern-
ment of the State of Idaho, the government of the State of 
Oregon, the government of the State of Washington, the govern-
ment of the State of the Providence of British Columbia, Eind 
\ 
the government of Yukon Territory hereinafter referred to collec-
tively as the 'Signatories' and separately as a 'Signatory; 
"Whereas, the Signatories recognize the importeince of com-
prehensive 
and 
coordinated 
civil emergency 
preparedness, 
response and recovery measures for natural and technological 
emergencies or disasters, and for declared or undeclared hos-
tilities including enemy attack; 
"Whereas, the Signatories further recognize the benefits of 
coordinating their separate emergency preparedness, response 
and recovery measures with that of contiguous jurisdictions for 
those emergencies, disasters, or hostilities affecting or potentially 
affecting any one or more of the Signatories in the Pacific North-
west; and 
"Whereas, the Signatories fiirther recognize that regionally 
based emergency preparedness, response and recovery measures 
will benefit all jurisdictions within the Pacific Northwest, £ind 
best serve their respective national interests in cooperative and 
coordinated emergency preparedness as facilitated by the Consult-
ative Group on Comprehensive Civil Emergency and Management 
estabhshed in the Agreement Between the government of the 
United States of America and the government of Canada on 
Cooperation and Comprehensive Civil Emergency Planning and 
Management signed at Ottawa, Ontario, Canada on April 28, 
PUBLIC LAW 105-381—NOV. 12, 1998 
112 STAT. 3403 
1986: Now, therefore, be it is hereby agreed by and between 
each and all of the Signatories hereto as follows: 
"ADVISORY COMMITTEE 
"(1) An advisory committee named the Western Regional Emer-
gency Management Advisory Committee (W-REMAC) shall be 
established which will include one member appointed by each Signa-
tory. 
"(2) The W-REMAC will be guided by the agreed-upon Terms 
of Reference-Annex A. 
"PRINCIPLES OF COOPERATION 
"(3) Subject to the laws of each Signatory, the following coopera-
tive principles are to be used as a guide by the Signatories in 
civil emergency matters which may affect more than one Signatory: 
"(A) The authorities of each Signatory may seek the advice, 
cooperation, or assistsince of any other Signatory in any civil 
emergency matter. 
"(B) Nothing in the arrangement shall derogate from the 
applicable laws within the jurisdiction of any Signatory. How-
ever, the authorities of any Signatory may request from the 
authorities of any other signatory appropriate alleviation of 
such laws if their normal application might lead to delay or 
difficulty in the rapid execution of necessary civil emergency 
measures. 
"(C) Each Signatory will use its best efforts to facilitate 
the movement of evacuees, refugees, civil emergency personnel, 
equipment or other resources into or across its territory, or 
to a designated staging area when it is agreed that such move-
ment or staging will facilitate civil emergency operations by 
the affected or participating Signatories. 
"(D) In times of emergency, each Signatory will use its 
best efforts to ensure that the citizens or residents of any 
other Signatory present in its territory are provided emergency 
health services and emergency social services in a manner 
no less favorable than that provided to its own citizens. 
"(E) Each Signatory will use discretionary power as far 
as possible to avoid levy of any tax, tariff, business license, 
or user fees on the services, equipment, and supplies of any 
other Signatory which is engaged in civil emergency activities 
in the territory of another Signatory, and will use its best 
efforts to encourage local governments or other jurisdictions 
within its territory to do likewise. 
"(F) When civil emergency personnel, contracted firms or 
personnel, vehicles, equipment, or other services from any 
Signatory are made available to or are employed to assist 
any other Signatory, all providing Signatories will use best 
efforts to ensure that charges, levies, or costs for such use 
or assistance will not exceed those paid for similar use of 
such resources within their own territory. 
"(G) Each Signatory will exchange contact lists, warning 
and notification plans, and selected emergency plans £ind will 
call to the attention of their respective local governments and 
112 STAT. 3404 
PUBLIC LAW 105-381—NOV. 12, 1998 
other jurisdictional authorities in areas adjacent to intersigna-
tory boundaries, the desirabiUty of compatibiUty of civil emer-
gency plans and the exchange of contact lists, warning and 
notification plans, and selected emergency plans. 
"(H) The authority of any Signatory conducting £in exercise 
will ensure that all other signatories are provided an oppor-
tunity to observe, and/or participate in such exercises. 
"COMPREHENSIVE NATURE 
"(4) This document is a comprehensive arrangement on civil 
emergency planning and management. To this end and fi*om time 
to time as necessary, all Signatories shall— 
"(A) review £ind exchange their respective contact lists, 
warning and notification plans, and selected emergency plans; 
and 
"(B) as appropriate, provide such plans and procedures 
to local governments, and other emergency agencies within 
their respective territories. 
"ARRANGEMENT 
NOT 
EXCLUSIVE 
"(5) This is not an exclusive arrangement and shall not prevent 
or limit other civil emergency arrangements of any nature between 
Signatories to this arrangement. In the event of any conflicts 
between the provisions of this arrangement and any other arrange-
ment regarding emergency service entered into by two or more 
States of the United States who are Signatories to this arrangement, 
the provisions of that other arrangement shall apply, with respect 
to the obligations of those States to each other, and not the conflict-
ing provisions of this arrangement. 
"AMENDMENTS 
"(6) This Arrangement and the Annex may be amended (and 
additional Annexes may be added) by arrangement of the Signato-
ries. 
"CANCELLATION OR SUBSTITUTION 
"(7) Any Signatory to this Arrangement may withdraw fi'om 
or cancel their participation in this .Ajrangement by giving sixty 
days, written notice in advance of this effective date to all other 
Signatories. 
"AUTHORITY 
"(8) All Signatories to this Arrangement warrant they have 
the power and capacity to accept, execute, and deliver this Arrange-
ment. 
"EFFECTIVE DATE 
"(9) Notwithstanding any dates noted elsewhere, this Arrsinge-
ment shall commence April 1, 1996.". 
SEC. 2. INCONSISTENCY OF LANGUAGE. 
The validity of the arrangements consented to by this Act 
shall not be affected by any insubstantial difference in their form 
or language as adopted by the States and provinces. 
PUBLIC LAW 105-381—NOV. 12, 1998 
112 STAT. 3405 
SEC. 3. RIGHT TO ALTER, AMEND, OR REPEAL. 
The right to alter, amend, or repeal this Act is hereby expressly 
reserved. 
Approved November 12, 1998. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S.J. Res. 35: 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 144 (1998): 
July 31, considered and passed Senate. 
Oct. 15, considered and passed House.