June
13, 2006
Washington,
DC: Congress today passed legislation that provides promised reimbursement funds
for several Texas communities affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita last year.
HR 4939 provides $6 billion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA) Disaster Relief Fund; and $5.2 billion for Department of Housing and
Urban Development (HUD) Community Development Block Grants.
This money will reimburse several south Texas communities for millions of
dollars spent feeding, sheltering, and schooling Katrina refugees, and also fund
long-term restoration of infrastructure damaged by Rita.
Congressman
Paul was instrumental in making sure the promised level of reimbursement from
FEMA—fully 90% of the expenses incurred by local governments—was included in
the final bill. He worked closely
with his congressional colleagues, including Texas Representatives Ted Poe and
Louie Gohmert, to make the Appropriations committee aware of the importance of
hurricane recovery funding:
“In
the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, many of the cities and counties in Texas
opened up their doors to the Katrina evacuees,” Paul wrote in a June 6 letter
to Appropriations Committee Chairman Jerry Lewis.
“Almost one month later, Texas was struck by Hurricane Rita.
Even today, Texas is still recovering from the damage and bearing
lingering costs associated with those two hurricanes. It is inequitable to provide a larger federal share to
Louisiana communities than Texas communities when both suffered.”
“I
certainly support reducing spending in the supplemental bill,” Paul added
today. “But the reductions should
come from low-priority earmarks. The
90% FEMA reimbursement does not increase the price tag for HR 4939.
FEMA reimbursement money is just that—reimbursement—that was
promised to Texas communities when they spent state and local tax dollars
performing FEMA functions. I’m
pleased Congress included this funding in HR 4939 as a matter of basic
fairness.”