Landrieu raps FEMA for critical GAO report

2007-09-07

Source: Baton Rouge Advocate

The federal government's "limited progress" in emergency preparedness and response since the hurricanes two years ago is "alarming and disappointing," U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu said Thursday.

The Louisiana Democrat made the assessment after receiving the findings by the U.S. Government Accountability Office. The 320-page report reviewing the U.S. Department of Homeland Security was the subject of a Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee hearing.

Landrieu, chairwoman of the committee's disaster recovery subcommittee, noted the department failed to reach 18 of 24 benchmarks in emergency preparedness and response.

The conclusions show that the Bush administration has lacked urgency in improving disaster response since hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Landrieu said.

"It's been apparent that there hasn't been any real, serious mobilization," Landrieu said.

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