Wexler (D): Bush Administration's Response to Hurricane Katrina a Disgrace

(Washington, D.C.) - Today, Congressman Robert Wexler (D-FL) issued the following statement from the floor of the House of Representatives in response to President George Bush's failed handling in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina:

Like all Americans, my heart goes out to the millions of people displaced and suffering from one of the largest national catastrophe in our nation's history. I hope all the victims of Hurricane Katrina know that our prayers are with them in this most difficult hour. I strongly support today's initial aid package to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

However, the Administration's response to this catastrophe is nothing short of a national disgrace. How is it possible that the Administration did not realize earlier what a catastrophe this is? There is a 90,000 square-mile footprint of disaster; and yet, last night FEMA's director Michael Brown admitted that the Administration had no idea exactly how bad the situation was. Even worse, he had previously characterized the security situation in New Orleans as "pretty darn good" and stopped just short of blaming the residents of New Orleans themselves for not evacuating.

The Bush Administration failed the American people in advance of the hurricane by cutting critical funding in spite of pleas by the Army Corps of Engineers -- money that would have been used to reinforce the very levees that broke and flooded New Orleans. We had plenty of money to pay for tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans but none to save the poorest Americans with an ounce of prevention.

And in terms of the response to the disaster itself, what we have seen there is unquestionably too little too late. While the President today said the relief efforts so far were "not acceptable," how can he possibly be surprised by this deplorable response? How can he say that the flooding wasn't anticipated? Quite to the contrary, it was expected. It was predicted. What is not acceptable is the President's response.

One year ago we had the opportunity to learn from the disasters in Florida. Floridians experienced the consequences of FEMA's failure to deliver aid to communities who needed it the most. We saw the most vulnerable in our society - the elderly and the poor - being left out or overlooked. Last year we had the opportunity to prevent this from happening again. At that time, I called for the resignation of FEMA head, Michael Brown because of his grievous mismanagement. The President did not heed that call, nor did he see fit to make any substantial changes in FEMA.

Last year, when the President's election was in question, his response to the hurricanes in the swing state of Florida was tremendously fast -- even passing out ice in the immediate aftermath. Where was he in the immediate aftermath for Gulf coast? Where were the trucks of food? Where were the water buffalo? Where were the tents of aid that are just now being established? The President and Congress dropped everything and flew back to Washington on Palm Sunday to intervene on behalf of Terri Schiavo. Why did the President delay so long for an entire American city in crisis? These are desperate people who need food, water, shelter and safety, not a photo op - which even itself comes 5 days late. Every asset of the American military in this hemisphere should have been devoted to America's humanitarian crisis starting on Monday at 5 PM.

I was in Aceh in Indonesia last month. I saw first-hand the greatness of the American aid efforts. Our response in the aftermath of the tsunami was one of America's finest hours. I was extremely proud as an American to see all the work our country had done to stave off famine and disease. Our aircraft carrier was off the Aceh coast within two days. If we can do that thousands of miles away in Indonesia, why not New Orleans? If we had even just met that same standard, help would have been in New Orleans on Wednesday. It should have been self-evident on Monday that now is the time to use our strength for the benefit of our own people.

Hurricane Katrina is another tragic wakeup call for America. After the immediate crisis has passed, we must create a national disaster fund. We must restructure FEMA. And, we must do more than talk about disaster preparedness. We must do everything possible to ensure that we are fully prepared for a national disaster and the possibility of a terrorist attack.

Congressman Wexler is a senior member of the House International Relations Committee and is a member of the House Judiciary Committee.

Lale M. Mamaux Communications Director Office of Congressman Robert Wexler 213 Cannon House Office Building (202) 225- 3001 lale.mamaux@mail.house.gov

"“Why is it that President Bush was able to send food and supplies to Afghanistan the same day our invasion began, but it has taken five days to even begin to send supplies to New Orleans?"

What a bunch of cr*pola! It's called PLANNING (something the Mayor of NO and the Gov of LA apparently don't know anything about). They knew they were going into Afhanistan and they coordinated logistics and PLANNED so that all the supplies (including food and water) that the troops needed would be there when the troops were.

In addition, as I understand it, FEMA was staged not that far away from NO w food and water. IF the Mayor and Gov had PLANNED and had sent in the appropriate amount of law enforcement (including asking the Prez or other states to send in more troops from the get go) and used the busses now under water to evacuate the poor people that didn't have transportation out, and numerous other things, I suspect it wouldn't be nearly as bad as it is down there as there would be less people to deal w, the area would be more secure, and FEMA could have come in sooner.

We won't even go into the fact that the NO mayor apparently didn't have great control of his city before the storm even started (as I understand it, it's one of the highest crime cities - including murder in the nation).

These Dims must think all Americans are as uninformed as some of the folks that keep electing them to office.

We must! We must! We MUST!

Well, CONGRESSMAN, why didn't YOU!

Some of these folks need a good thrashing.

Instead of pulling together like AMERICANS
democrats see only a political advantage,
thus far we have seen RACE, CLASS WARFARE,
threats to the ELDERLY, all pulled from
the same old tired democrat play-book,
when in reality, it was the democrat
Mayor's administration, the democrat State
machine that were totally unprepared for
this. Now to deflect the nations realization
of just how bad a debacle this has turned out
to be UNDER DEMOCRATS, the democrat party and
their mouthpiece the press attack the President.
It's worse than shameful, it's criminal and traitorous.

Let's not forget that the levee's didn't break until Tuesday,
Nagin was sitting on his ass thinking he had "dodged a bullet"
(his own words) The looting had already started before the storm even hit, and was out of had by monday, and getting worse. Then, the levy broke, and all those Plasma tv's that the looter's had all set up and ready to go when the power came back on got wet.

“Why is it that President Bush was able to send food and supplies to Afghanistan the same day our invasion began, but it has taken five days to even begin to send supplies to New Orleans?"
_______________________________________________________

Probably because congress had already approved the Afgan invasion and expenditures for it, while it took the old bast**ds five days to pass the 10 bil hurricane relief bill. Bush had declared NOLA a disaster area before the hurricane hit.

"Move out to the country, hord fuel supplies and weapons, and just watch and wait for the comming meltdown of the cities."

I think your right, .. meltdown tick tick tick.. My wife and I have been thinking about heading for the hills for a while now... it might just be time.

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