Statement of Senator Clinton Regarding FEMA's Late New National Response Plan

Statement of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton Regarding Reports that FEMA's New National Response Plan will not be Ready in Time for the Start of Hurricane Season

April 17, 2007 -- Washington, DC - "I am extremely concerned about reports that, nearly two years after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will not have its new national response plan ready in time for the start of the hurricane season. One of the most devastating lessons we learned in 2005 is that we need to be prepared and I am stunned that after all this time FEMA still does not have a national response plan in place.

There is no excuse for this failure in planning. Areas that are vulnerable to hurricanes, from Long Island to the Gulf Coast, look to the Federal Government for guidance but it appears that right now, FEMA's response resembles a blank stare. Hurricane Katrina left in its path not just death and devastation, but a deep, lasting scar and we cannot let it happen again. Parts of New York were just hit by a severe storm and we saw how devastating the results of this type of weather can be. We must do everything we can to make sure that we are prepared in the future and that includes having a national hurricane response plan."

Since Hurricane Katrina, Senator Clinton has pushed for a better emergency response system from FEMA and has pushed to restore FEMA to Cabinet-level, independent federal agency status to ensure that it has the authority it needs to effectively manage recovery efforts for future national crises.

Senator Clinton has also worked with local and federal officials on New York's hurricane-prone areas to evaluate preparedness levels and the infrastructure and logistical challenges that may be faced.

Source: Senator Hillary Clinton

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