Assisting the Victims of Hurricane Katrina

Mr. Speaker, as Chairman of the Government Reform Subcommittee on Management, Finance, and Accountability, I rise today to express my concern for the victims and to emphasize the importance of ensuring that every dollar allocated to this relief effort gets to its intended recipient.  As we pass this important relief measure, let me assure all Americans that we stand ready, willing, and able to assist the victims of Hurricane Katrina.  As we prepare to provide the appropriate and necessary assistance to ensure our citizens can rebuild their lives, we must administer these Disaster Assistance funds responsibly. 

Over the past two years, my Subcommittee has held three hearings on management at the Department of Homeland Security.  While not always the most exciting topic, it is strong, sound management that will enable us to get through a crisis of this magnitude.  Last year, in the aftermath of the Florida hurricanes, FEMA administered grants through the Individuals and Households Program.  Just as we seek to do today, these grants were intended to provide emergency relief to those most impacted.  Unfortunately, according to a report by the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General (Audit of FEMA's Individuals and Households Program in Miami-Dade County, Florida, for Hurricane Frances, OIG-05-20), there were numerous documented instances of improper payments.

The assistance that we are providing to the victims of Hurricane Katrina is too important to be misspent.  The Federal government has a responsibility to ensure the proper and effective distribution of aid.  Any dollar lost to fraud or mismanagement is a dollar that does not make it to someone who is in need. 

With the passage of the Stafford Act (Public Law 93-288) and its subsequent amendments, the Congress put in place specific requirements for the effective allocation of disaster funds.  This statutory framework is designed to protect these resources from those who would seek to gain at the expense of the victims of disasters such as Hurricane Katrina.  With sound management, appropriate controls and accountability, we will have the means to continue to provide resources to those who are truly in need of assistance.