[StBernard] As June 1 Approaches, Landrieu Reminds FEMA of National Disaster Housing Strategy Deadline

[Westley Annis]

As June 1 Approaches, Landrieu Reminds FEMA of National Disaster Housing
Strategy Deadline
In a letter to Administrator Paulison, Landrieu urges completion and
implementation by June 1.

 

WASHINGTON - United States Senator Mary Landrieu, D-La., today wrote a
letter to FEMA Administrator R. David Paulison, urging him to submit the
National Disaster Housing Strategy to Congress by June 1, the latest date by
which it has been promised. 

"As you know, June 1 marks the beginning of the third post-Katrina hurricane
season, and Congress has yet to receive the National Disaster Housing
Strategy, which was required by the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform
Act (P.L. 109-295) to be submitted by July of 2007, " the letter reads. "I
urge you to submit the Strategy to Congress on the date you publicly pledged
to adhere to during an April 3, 2008 hearing before the Senate Homeland
Security and Government Affairs Committee."

Sen. Landrieu expressed concern because on two other occasions, FEMA has not
delivered the Strategy by the deadlines the agency promised to meet. In
December 2007 - well after the original July 2007 deadline had passed -
Paulison said that the Strategy was under final review by FEMA and would be
completed in the winter. However, at a subsequent March 4 hearing of Sen.
Landrieu's Subcommittee on Disaster Recovery, Acting Deputy Administrator
Harvey Johnson again pushed back the deadline, saying he believed the report
could be delivered by the 1st of April. That deadline came and went, but no
housing strategy was delivered. 

"Since the beginning of the year, news of disasters ranging from earthquakes
to tornados has startled Americans and people around the globe," Sen.
Landrieu wrote. "In the United States, more than 110 people have died during
powerful tornados this year, the highest number since 1998. The NOAA Storms
Prediction Center reports that there have been 1,191 tornado sightings this
year. As we enter what may be a severe hurricane season, we must do
everything in our power to be ready for the possibility of a catastrophic
event that could come at any time.

"If Hurricanes Katrina and Rita taught us anything it is that we cannot
afford to respond as we go - we must have strategies in place to house
masses of people in the event of the next catastrophe. The American people
expect their government to learn from the mistakes made during these storms.
As we wait for the National Disaster Housing Strategy to be completed and
put into place, I am afraid that we are one earthquake, tornado, or
hurricane away from failing to make good on that expectation. I hope that
you will complete the strategy, submit it to Congress, and put it into place
by June 1."

A full copy of the letter is available here
<http://landrieu-press.enews.senate.gov/mail/util.cfm?mailaction=clickthru&g
piv=1999896349.1819.197&gen=1&mailing_linkid=1343> .

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