Did FEMA let America down?Or did just FEMA make mistakes by allowing supplies stay in warehouses and then distributed to various agencies rather than to victims of Katrina and Rita?
Those were the questions asked by US Senators during (and even CNN reporters today outside of) the joint meeting of the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Ad Hoc Subcommittee on Disaster Recovery and the U.S. House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Emergency Communications, Preparedness, and Response. It examined how FEMA supplies meant for Katrina and Rita victims sat unused and were ultimately marked as surplus and distributed to other states and federal agencies.
One FEMA spokesperson told a CNN reporter that FEMA did not fail America but it made mistakes.
Related:
Louisiana Recovery Authority Executive Director Paul Rainwater testified Thursday before a joint Congressional hearing regarding how FEMA delivered donated supplies to victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
According to Louisiana United States Senator Mary Landrieu, in a news release “chairman of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Ad Hoc Subcommittee on Disaster Recovery, today co-chaired a joint Senate and House hearing on how to ensure that donated goods are successfully delivered to survivors of catastrophes. Representative Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security Subcommittee on Emergency Communications, Preparedness and Response, also served as co-chair.
In June, A CNN investigation revealed that 121 truckloads of household goods, including basic kitchen supplies, were stored for two years before being shifted by FEMA to other agencies, including the departments of Agriculture and Veterans Affairs as well as 16 other states. In total, the goods were worth $18.5 million dollars. Upon learning of CNN's investigation, Sen. Landrieu's office immediately began working with the state and FEMA to recoup the critical supplies and send them to hurricane-affected areas from Southwest to Southeast Louisiana. Supplies returned by the United States Postal Service and the states of Texas and Arkansas have already been returned to Louisiana hurricane victims as a result of Sen. Landrieu's efforts.
The hearing examined how FEMA managed donated goods during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. It also detailed the efforts the agency has made to streamline the system and ensure that states, local governments and nonprofit organizations are coordinating appropriately following a catastrophe.”
Gee Sen. Landrieu, I just got my new rice cooker in the mail!!!!! It is SO shiney!!!!!!!! Thank you so much!!! Oh, and the George Foreman 'Lean Mean Grilling Machine' wasn't necessary, I already had one, so I hocked it down the street for a fifth of VO.......... Oh well, CHEERS!!!!! VO ON THE ROCKS!!!!!!! (I can sure those plastic cups you fought so hard for ALSO, I needed something to put my ice in anyways) Written by
on 8/1/2008
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