I am afraid you may be right...but he also came up with this:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Will Adams
September 8, 2005
202.226.6997
Tancredo Proposes Oversight for Katrina Funds
Congressman Says Taxpayers Deserver Accountability for Record $62 Billion of Relief
WASHINGTON , D.C. – Congressman Tom Tancredo (R-CO) introduced a resolution today that would create a bipartisan select committee of House members to oversee the administration of hurricane relief and reconstruction funds.
The House approved a record $52 billion in relief funds this afternoon. Altogether, $62 billion have been appropriated, which is greater than the total annual discretionary spending for the Commerce, Justice, and State Departments combined. Speaker Hastert and Majority Leader Frist announced that they will create a joint committee that is “tasked with reviewing, at all levels of government, the immediate preparation and recovery from Hurricane Katrina.” The committee appears to provide no oversight for the billions of dollars of relief aid that has been appropriated. Tancredo voted against appropriating the Katrina relief funds because of the lack of oversight.
“There is no question that billions of dollars are needed—and are needed immediately—to provide relief and reconstruction for Louisiana . But the urgent need of resources does not excuse us from our duty to safeguard the American taxpayers’ money,” said Tancredo.
Tancredo continued, “I’m concerned that the federal government has created a situation that is ripe for fraud and abuse. Billions of dollars are being handed out to a place where there is severely compromised infrastructure, where local officials have been incompetent in their early response to the emergency, and where there is little if any oversight in administering the funds. Resources are urgently needed, but the U.S. Treasury should not be left unguarded.”
“It is our duty to get relief to persons affected by Hurricane Katrina. But it is political malpractice to spend taxpayers’ money without making sure that the aid is getting to the right people,” said Tancredo.
Tancredo’s resolution would create a 15-member select committee of the House which would be charged with providing oversight for relief aid, accountability of contractors and government officials, and with recommending penalties for corruption and contract abuse related to Hurricane Katrina.
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