FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 9, 2005
Contact: Josh Freed
(202) 225-4431
 
Democratic Chief Deputy Whip Diana DeGette (CO-01) released the following statement regarding the removal of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Director Michael Brown from management of the Hurricane Katrina relief effort:

“Michael Brown’s removal was a good first step toward restoring a level of professionalism to FEMA. However, the problems raised by the agency’s slow initial response to the hurricane will not be solved by the removal of one person – even the director.  What we have seen over the past two weeks is an agency charged with protecting Americans’ lives that is clearly not up to the challenge. This is not a political problem, but a potential national security crisis. Congress and this Administration need to improve federal disaster response, and establish better oversight of emergency relief funding, and do it immediately.”

###