Heritage’s Jim Carafano appeared on CBS’s “Early Show” to discuss the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) wanting a blank check. FEMA says it has too little money in the Disaster Relief Fund (DRF) due to its federalizing a record number of natural disasters this year. (Watch the video here.)
As Carafano notes, FEMA needs to save its resources—funding especially—for truly catastrophic events, and get out of the business of bailing out states for natural disasters that occur with fairly predictable regularity. This issue of federalization of disasters is vividly illustrated by this chart and discussed in our latest report, “Homeland Security 4.0: Overcoming Centralization, Complacency, and Politics.” As previously discussed, Representative Eric Cantor (R–VA) is spot on to demand spending cuts elsewhere before beefing up FEMA’s DRF.
Nothing less than irresponsible leadership with a love of crisis' on America and not a love for America!
their brains are only so narrow!
obama says, everyones' going to have to sacrifice 'cause he's going to do all he can as president of America, to make sure of it!!!
In addition to demanding cuts elsewhere, Cantor and his caucus should be proposing amendments to the law that established FEMA, amendments that more narrowly define what constitutes a national emergency. I know the current Senate and President would never consider common sense changes, but the House can put something in the hopper for the new Senate and President coming in 2013 who will consider them. The GOP will strengthen their current hand and secure their majority in the next Congress when they engage in substantive, limited-government debates. We want actions not just words.