Governors Reject Disaster Relief Takeover By Feds
U.S. governors have soundly rejected a proposal by the President that the military take charge of responses to natural disasters.
Gov. Haley Barbour of Mississippi said of the federal government, "We don't need them coming in and running things," while Gov. Joe Manchin of West Virginia said "I would never abdicate...the responsibility to protect the people of my state."
All of which serves to underscore the point which was perhaps deliberately ignored by the media and the left in their rush to politicize the response to Hurricane Katrina: the pre-hurricane planning and immediate relief response was not the chief responsibility of the federal government or FEMA, but was the responsibility of state and local officials, who sadly botched the job in Louisiana.
posted by Laura @ 1:06 PM
1 Comments:
42 USC 5170 Procedure for Declaration
All requests for a declaration by the President that a major disaster exists shall be made by the Governor of the affected State. Such a request shall be based on a finding that the disaster is of such severity and magnitude that effective response is beyond the capabilities of the State and the affected local governments and that Federal assistance is necessary. As part of such request, and as a prerequisite to major disaster assistance under this chapter, the Governor shall take appropriate response action under State law and direct execution of the State’s emergency plan. The Governor shall furnish information on the nature and amount of State and local resources which have been or will be committed to alleviating the results of the disaster, and shall certify that, for the current disaster, State and local government obligations and expenditures (of which State commitments must be a significant proportion) will comply with all applicable cost-sharing requirements of this chapter. Based on the request of a Governor under this section, the President may declare under this chapter that a major disaster or emergency exists.
Post a Comment
<< Home