Washington Times
by Tom Coburn & Barack Obama

09/23/05

So far, Congress has approved $62 billion for Gulf Coast relief and rebuilding. In the few short weeks since Hurricane Katrina hit, the government already has spent $14 billion, nearly the entire amount spent on the deadly Northridge Earthquake that devastated Los Angeles in 1994. Experts tell us that by the time rebuilding is finished, the price tag could very well total more than $200 billion -- almost the combined costs of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Most of this money will go directly to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. ... If FEMA's record during the rescue effort and in the years before indicates how it will perform in the rebuilding task, this should concern every taxpayer and every citizen who wants to help the millions of Americans devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Unfortunately, even before this storm, rebuilding efforts involving FEMA and other government agencies have a history of fraud, corruption and waste when there is no oversight or accountability on how the funds are spent...

http://www.washtimes.com/commentary/20050922-094104-1156r.htm


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp