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SENATORS CLINTON, MIKULSKI CALL FOR FEMA OVERHAUL |
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by Associated Press POSTED: 1:47 pm PDT
September 6, 2005 House Democratic Leader Pelosi Tells Bush To Fire Brown WASHINGTON -- Some U.S. senators spoke out Tuesday about the federal efforts to aid victims of Hurricane Katrina. U.S. Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., and Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., introduced legislation Tuesday to restore the Federal Emergency Management Agency to a cabinet-level independent federal agency. "First, they were victimized by hurricane, then, they were victimized by the ineptness of government, the slow, sluggish federal response, except for the Coast Guard, which was rescuing people from rooftops," Mikulski said. "We've seen thousands of our citizens who live in impoverished conditions. They couldn't evacuate the city because they didn't have a car, they didn't have a place to go to," Clinton said. "This government is not failing only in Katrina, but for the future of the American people." Some Senate colleagues offered their support in wake of the relief efforts. "FEMA has been submerged in a sea of bureaucracy led by people concerned with nothing but the detention of terrorists," said U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt. "FEMA used to be one of the extraordinarily respected agencies. Today, you can't say that." Clinton questioned what took place after the federal government took control of the situation Saturday after the president signed the declaration of emergency. FEMA currently falls under the auspices of the federal Department of Homeland Security. Mikulski also introduced legislation to create an independent commission to investigate the handling of relief efforts. "I'm sorry that the response was so weak, but we will make sure the response will be strong," Mikulski said. "Never again will this happen to any state, any community, or any family faced by disaster." "Instead of people pointing fingers at one another in the press, let's have professionals looking at this with their expertise to tell us what happened and" what we can do to improve future responses, Clinton said. Additionally, the senators said FEMA needs new leadership, calling for the resignation of Michael Brown, the under secretary of homeland security for emergency preparedness and response. "I don't expect that the agency can go forward with its current leadership," Clinton said. "If you're incompetent, you'll have a job in this administration." Mikulski said the agency needs to change its focus in order to more effectively attend to natural disaster relief. "If we're not ready for a hurricane, how can we be ready for a terror attack?" the Maryland Democrat said. However, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist said he thinks the big problems with the federal response were structural -- and it's too soon to "call for people's heads." Brown also has critics in the House of Representatives. House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi said she's told President George W. Bush he should fire Brown. She said the Gulf Coast was hit with two disasters last week. First came Hurricane Katrina, then the response of Brown's Federal Emergency Management Agency. Pelosi spoke to reporters after the president met with congressional leaders. Asked for his Bush's response, she said, "The president thanked me for my suggestion." |