Issue Position: FEMA

Issue Position

If Hurricane Katrina proved anything, it was that the government isn't ready for a major disaster, whether man-made or natural. It is clear that the ability of the federal government to effectively respond to an emergency is directly tied to how successful FEMA is an agency.

If FEMA lacks leadership, as it did when "Brownie" was director, then Americans are going to be left holding the bag when disaster strikes. The days after the hurricane struck, I was getting hundreds of calls from folks wanting to do something. Some raisin growers in California wanted to send food. Firefighters from Baltimore were packed and ready to go but were being told to fill out a foot of paperwork first. I heard from truckers driving ice in zig-zag patterns across the U.S. to everywhere but the Gulf. Housing offers from communities in Ohio, California, South Carolina, New York, and Massachusetts streamed in. Fannie Mae had empty homes ready but FEMA didn't want to use them. Even the King of Jordan called to offer some help. They called me, as Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, because they couldn't get ahold of anyone at FEMA.

In certain instances, I was able to help some of these folks get through the red tape to get help where it was needed. After I raised concerns about FEMA's rejection of Fannie Mae's offer, houses were made available for evacuees to move in. I called Red Cross to task for its dismal performance and have been working with the agency's new leadership to fix its ailments. I've also introduced bipartisan legislation to fix both FEMA and the Red Cross.

To me, if FEMA is to be successful, it needs to make sure that it has a director that is experienced in emergency management, not political friendships. In the time of a crisis, that director better be able to call the President to let him know what's happening. Most of all, FEMA must be "prepared." It needs to be able to plan to have simple things like telephones, water, and ice available when a disaster strikes. It needs to be to have folks available after the fact for recovery and mitigation, when a disaster is too big to stop and communities needs help picking up the pieces.

I have raised a number of these concerns directly with Department of Homeland Security and FEMA officials in Washington. I promise to keep the fire under their feet to help the Gulf Coast recover and prepare for the next big storm.

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