Washington, D.C.  -  Congressman Mike Rogers said this week he has been selected to spearhead an investigation into the misuse of Federal aid given to New York City after the September 11th attacks.

Rogers, who is Chairman of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Management, Integration and Oversight, said he hoped the hearings would provide insight into reports of fraud and abuse of over $21 billion in Federal aid given to the city.

“Recent news reports concerning the misuse of these funds are indeed troubling,” said Rogers. “Given the importance of this aid for helping rebuild New York, it is essential the taxpayers have a complete accounting of how this money was spent.”

Rogers said the announcement of the investigation was made Sunday in an op-ed by Homeland Security Committee Chairman Peter King (R-NY) in the New York Daily News. Rogers said King asked him to lead the effort, with King citing his desire to “to do whatever has to be done to find out what happened and why.”

“Charges of apparent kickbacks, payoffs, mob contracts, payments to undeserving firms and businesses - all this and more must be investigated and those responsible must be held accountable. Not only for the sake of justice and the memory of those who died, but to show that this immoral and illegal conduct was the exception and not the rule,” wrote King this weekend.
 “This is a very serious assignment and one I will pursue with great diligence,” Rogers added.

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