ISSUE: FEMA's mishandling of hurricane damage claims got a
harsh reception
in Congress.
Not surprisingly,
the Federal Emergency Management Agency didn't fare too well on
Capitol Hill on Wednesday. Congress, which holds FEMA's purse
strings, doesn't like to hear about $31 million in wasted taxpayer
money.
That's the amount FEMA has paid Miami-Dade County
residents for purported damage from a hurricane that struck 100
miles away and, according to official records, caused no significant
damage in the county. Fourteen aid recipients have been indicted on
fraud charges, and investigations continue.
But the problems
at FEMA go far beyond a handful of dishonest claimants. They are
systemic and widespread, according to investigations by the South
Florida Sun-Sentinel and the inspector general of the Department
of Homeland Security.
Yet FEMA, which has been blind to its
failings from the outset of the Sun-Sentinel investigation,
kept its eyes closed in its response to the inspector general's
audit, expressing satisfaction that it "confirmed no widespread or
systemic waste."
That was news to the inspector general, who
told a Senate committee that "the problems ... were across the board
... in each and every one of the programs." Asked specifically
whether FEMA's response accurately reflected his findings, he
answered no.
Since FEMA can't even recognize its problems,
it's incapable of fixing them on its own. Congress must take the
lead. Bills have been filed that would, among other things, tighten
eligibility for funeral reimbursement, make FEMA verify damage
before issuing a disaster declaration, increase penalties for fraud
and strengthen qualifications for inspectors. All deserve to become
law, but Congress should continue to explore other possible reforms
as well.
BOTTOM LINE: FEMA can't fix itself, so
Congress should pass new laws and continue seeking additional
reforms.
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