Hurricane Katrina The Homeland Security Departments Preparation And Response S Hrg 109 848 February 15 2006 109 2 Hearing

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ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 62 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (227 download)

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Download or read book Federal Emergency Management Policy Changes After Hurricane Katrina written by and published by . This book was released on 2006 with total page 62 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Reports issued by committees of the 109th Congress, the White House, federal offices of Inspector General, and the Government Accountability Office (GAO), among others, concluded that the losses caused by Hurricane Katrina and other disasters were due, in part, to deficiencies such as questionable leadership decisions and capabilities, organizational failures, overwhelmed preparation and communication systems, and inadequate statutory authorities. From these conclusions the 109th Congress revised federal emergency management policies vested in the President; reorganized the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); and enhanced and clarified the mission, functions, and authorities of the agency, as well as those of its parent, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Six statutes enacted by the 109th Congress are notable in that they contain changes that apply to future federal emergency management actions. Most of these statutes contain relatively few changes to federal authorities related to emergencies and disasters. The Post-Katrina Act, however, contains many changes that will have long-term consequences for FEMA and other federal entities. That statute reorganizes FEMA, expands its statutory authority, and imposes new conditions and requirements on the operations of the agency. This CRS report summarizes information on the emergency management modifications adopted by Congress in response to the widespread calls for change. The report does not cover all public laws enacted by the 109th Congress in response to Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma. The focus here is on far-reaching and potentially permanent change in federal approaches to emergency management. The content of this report is limited to congressional action.