![Latest News - News Stories Latest News - News Stories](_images/headers/latestnews.newsstories.gif)
Senator Seeks Aid Criteria from FEMA
By Chris Casteel
The Oklahoman
April 11, 2007
WASHINGTON — Sen. Tom Coburn said Tuesday he wants the Federal Emergency Management Agency to reveal why it denied individual assistance to Oklahomans affected by January's ice storms.
Coburn, R-Muskogee, sent a letter to FEMA Director David Paulison questioning what criteria were used by the federal agency in assessing the state's request for individual assistance. The senator said he wants to see all of the data used to determine eligibility for the assistance.
"I have traveled all across Oklahoma, received hundreds of letters, e-mails and phone calls, and I can tell you that confidence in FEMA has been shaken,” Coburn said in his letter. "In your own travels across the nation, I am certain you are encountering many of the same concerns. Only through complete transparency, and a willingness to explain all decisions in detail, will public confidence be restored.”
Coburn noted that he was the top Republican on the Federal Financial Management subcommittee and pledged that he would seek "aggressive oversight” of government agencies that fail to explain their decisions in detail.
FEMA did not immediately respond Tuesday afternoon to a request for comment.
FEMA granted public assistance to more than 40 counties that sustained damage from the storms but denied the individual assistance. Public assistance is money given to government entities to make repairs and clean up after a disaster. Individual assistance is given to individual residents.
The state appealed the denial without success.
Senator Tom Coburn
Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, and International Security
340 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510
Phone: 202-224-2254 Fax: 202-228-3796
|
![Oversight Action - Learn more Oversight Action button](_images/template/btn_oversightaction.gif)
![Investigative Reports - Learn more Investigative Reports button](_images/template/btn_investigativereports.gif)
![Your Tax Dollars at Work - Learn more Your Tax Dollars at Work button](_images/template/btn_yourtaxdollarsatwork.gif)
![Submit a tip about government waste - Learn more Submit a tip button](_images/template/btn_submitatip.gif)
![Legislative and Floor Action - Learn more Legislative and Floor Action button](_images/template/btn_legislativeflooraction.gif)
|