Posted on 09/11/2017 2:59:20 PM PDT by Kaslin
The State Department requires that all U.S. citizens in need of rescue from hurricane-struck areas first sign a promissory note requiring them to pay back the U.S. government all costs associated with their rescue, such as airfare, according to a copy of that form obtained by the Washington Free Beacon.
Some U.S. citizens seeking evacuation from islands hit by Hurricane Irma expressed surprise when they were presented with the form, ensuring that all costs associated with the rescue all fully paid back to the U.S. government.
"I promise to repay the U.S. government in U.S. dollars or the foreign currency equivalent within 30 days of initial billing, and if not repaid within 60 days of initial billing at an interest rate established in accordance with Federal law for all applicable expenses for my/our evacuation," the agreement states, according to a copy obtained by the Free Beacon.
If the loan is not repaid in full, those listed on the forms can face penalties, such as a limitedly valid U.S. passport, according to the form.
The loan also is subject to "interest, penalties, and other charges for late payment," according to the form.
This is not a new policy. The State Department has required such promissory notes be signed in these situations since 1956, according to U.S. officials familiar with the policy. There are only limited situations in which this form is waived.
The State Department is not permitted to spend government funds on these types of evacuations, which necessitates that U.S. citizens seeking State Department help in their evacuation from disaster-struck areas sign the form before getting on a flight.
The State Department offers evacuation to stranded U.S. citizens before a hurricane hits land and after a hurricane hits land. These flights are chartered to evacuate U.S. government personnel and extra seats are handed to citizens in need of rescue.
The State Department has aided in the evacuation of more than 1,500 people from St. Martin since Friday, according to information available as of Monday morning. That number could grow.
So what’s the income tax payments to them for? The gov. taxes us to pay for their departments and when they do something we’re charged for it?
Seems to me to be completely fair. The only difference here is that the “gibbsmedats” are probably white and have the financial resources to make payment for the help.
If you have to be rescued....you didn’t have the good sense to leave. This is the price of stupidity.
I have my doubts they are ever charged full fare if at all.
Don't tell me, let me guess. The taxpayers.
And if you don’t sign?
And if you don’t sign, no rescue? Isn’t that duress? No contract signed under duress is valid.
what’s the price of a plane ticket from St. Martin to San Juan, PR? (where they were evacuated to) Probably not a lot, so I don’t see the big deal. If you can’t afford to evacuate yourself, the govt will help but you’ll pay just like you did evacuate yourself.
Assuming the Federales don’t charge ‘company store’ rates, this is fair.
Well, we ARE $20 TRILLION in debt with roughly an ADDITIONAL $100-$200 TRILLION in unfunded mandates that the ‘states’ supposedly owe to the ‘Feds’ for idiotic things they deem we MUST pay for.
I guess we need to start somewhere!
Since we’re in a hole half way to the center of the Earth, has ANYONE considered that maybe we should STOP DIGGING?
*Crickets Chirping*
Must be bankers, that's business as usual for them.
“...note requiring them to pay back the U.S. government all costs associated with their rescue, such as airfare....”
Not quite “fake” — but, definitely misleading. The actual agreement says they’ll pay no more than the amount that an economy air fare would have been, before the event. That’s likely far less than the total costs to government (special, extra-cost flights, processing by staff, etc. etc.) This actually sounds quite fair — if not downright generous to the evacuees.
I didn’t wind up in St. Martin on a Caribbean vacation this week. Make em pay it back.
Same for liberal college kids that decide to go work in Syria for the summer or moron kids that get arrested in North Korea.
Why is that on me to bail them out on their adventures?
Travel insurance is widely available.
No one has stated the cost to be charged.
If I were trapped there, it would be reasonable to pay a premium to get out of there. But the chargecshould be related to the cost, unlike, say, an uninsured medical expense.
I would refuse to sign based on the fact that I’ve already footed the bill many time over. FTSD.
Nobody cares about that $20 trillion when they want something from Uncle Sugar.
If the government wasn’t spending on my planned Parenthood, illegal aliens and so on, there would be plenty of money for contingicies.
Just wondering...were the Kennedys billed for JFK Jr.’s search and rescue?
Here is a article from Fox17 Nashville regarding a couple from Clarksville that was stranded in St. Maarten after Hurricane Irma ravaged the island
Bill and Kelly Kellett were on vacation when the then Category 5 storm cut through the island.
Left with no water, power, and surrounded by looters, the Kellett's were unable to escape.
With the airport damaged and no commercial flights available, daughter Samantha Kellett -a Clarksville PD officer- exhausted all options and efforts to get them home. With Hurricane Jose on the way to the islands, there was little she could do.
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