[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 111 (Thursday, September 8, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1806-E1807]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            SECOND KATRINA SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS BILL

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                           HON. DIANA DeGETTE

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 8, 2005

  Ms. DeGETTE Mr. Speaker, I rise to support the bills today to be 
taken up under suspension of the rules. However, I strongly oppose 
taking up H.R. 3673, the Second Emergency Supplemental Appropriations 
Act to Meet Immediate Needs Arising From the Consequences of Hurricane 
Katrina, which includes $51.8 billion for the relief effort, including 
$50 billion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), under 
suspension. Doing so limits the opportunity for debate and amendments 
at a time when many legitimate questions are being raised about FEMA. 
We surely can spend some time debating these issues and offering 
amendments to make sure that FEMA spends this money properly.
  Based on the performance so far, I have no confidence that either 
FEMA, or its director, Mr. Michael Brown, can manage the funds Congress 
is appropriating. Mr. Brown had no experience in disaster management 
prior to being appointed director of FEMA, and that lack of experience 
has shown all too clearly. Mr. Brown waited for hours after Hurricane 
Katrina hit the United States to issue a department-wide call for help 
from the Department of Homeland Security. According to Jefferson Parish 
President Aaron Broussard, FEMA also prevented the Coast Guard from 
providing fuel to local emergency personnel and turned back trucks 
filled with drinking water for victims. Neither FEMA nor any other 
federal agency appeared to be in charge as lawlessness broke out in New 
Orleans. Three days later, on Thursday, September 1, Director Brown 
said that federal officials had just learned that people had taken 
refuge in the New Orleans Convention Center. This was despite numerous 
previous news reports showing Americans gathering there. These are just 
a few examples of the delayed and badly conceived response to this 
disaster.
  Many of these problems stem from the incompetence of FEMA management 
or perhaps its position in the enormous Department of Homeland 
Security, which is the amalgamation of 22 federal agencies. FEMA is no 
longer a cabinet-level agency, reporting directly to the President, as 
it was under President Clinton. People have raised questions whether 
this change, and FEMA's move into the Department of Homeland Security 
with a focus on dealing with terrorist events, have made it less able 
to help Americans deal with and recover from natural disasters. With 
the situation ongoing and FEMA to be heavily involved for months to 
come as the Gulf region recovers, we need to get the answers to these 
questions now. We cannot do that when the majority shuts off debate and 
prevents amendments.
  Furthermore, I am concerned about providing FEMA more money, $50 
billion, at a time when many Americans, including myself, have lost 
confidence in its ability to manage this crisis. How can we have faith 
that this money will not be wasted, based on FEMA's performance to 
date? Particularly now, with a budget deficit of over $300 billion, we 
cannot afford to waste any of our resources. In this time of need, we 
must come together as Americans and spend whatever is necessary to help 
our citizens rebuild. But, quickly appropriating money without 
accountability will not solve the problems of the Gulf region, if that 
money is not going to be well-spent. Instead of ramming this money 
through without discussion, we should be talking about how we can 
ensure FEMA uses this money in the best way

[[Page E1807]]

possible to help the citizens affected by Hurricane Katrina without 
unnecessarily blowing an even bigger hole in the budget deficit.

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