By Tom McClimon
March 31, 2003

On March 21 and March 27, the Conference of Mayors sponsored webcasts on homeland security. The webcasts were moderated by Conference Executive Director J. Thomas Cochran and featured Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley, the recently appointed Chair of the Conference's Task Force on Homeland Security.

The webcasts were viewed in over 200 cities across the country. The sessions were "live" in that viewers could ask questions directly to the panelists. Viewers could watch the program in "real time" and ask questions by accessing the Conference's web site: usmayors.org.

The focus of both webcasts was on securing funds for homeland security. In both broadcasts, Mayor O'Malley urged viewers to contact their Congressional delegations and urge them to support direct funding for first responders as part of the Administration's request for supplemental funding for the Iraqi war. "We need to have the same resources made available for our first responders, our fire and police, as we are making available to those fighting terrorism overseas." stated Mayor O'Malley. Cochran discussed how the Conference has set up a "war room" type effort to encourage and coordinate grassroots efforts to press Congress and the Administration for direct homeland security funding.

The entire homeland security webcasts can be viewed by accessing "U.S. MayorVision" on the Conference's website: usmayors.org.