Posted on 09/28/2005 9:22:32 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON - Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco asked Congress on Wednesday for help in rebuilding her devastated state, saying Hurricanes Katrina and Rita "knocked us down but they did not knock us out."
Appearing before the Senate Finance Committee, Blanco in her opening statement did not mention former FEMA director Michael Brown, who on Tuesday had blamed state and local officials in Louisiana for not responding appropriately to the storm.
"We are looking forward, not backward, " Blanco said.
Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour and Alabama Gov. Bob Riley also were testifying before the committee via teleconference hookup from their state capitols. The Senate panel is working on a long-term tax bill to help revitalize the hurricane-devastated Gulf Coast.
Blanco said 40 percent of Louisiana's businesses were lost or damaged in the storm and said the state's most pressing need is jobs.
"That's what we need," she said. "That's exactly what we need in the face of this suffering and hardship — jobs."
Across the Capitol, a House panel was hearing pledges from government auditors that they will closely examine millions of dollars in contracts the Bush administration awarded to politically connected companies for Hurricane Katrina relief.
The inspectors general from half a dozen agencies, as well as officials from the Government Accountability Office, on Wednesday were addressing a House subcommittee on the Katrina cleanup and announcing several new audits to combat waste and fraud.
They are pledging strong oversight that includes a review of no-bid contracts and close scrutiny of federal employees who now enjoy a $250,000 — rather than a $2,500 — purchase limit for Katrina-related expenses on their government-issued credit cards.
"When so much money is available, it draws people of less than perfect character," H. Walker Feaster, inspector general of the Federal Communications Commission, said. "It underscores the need for internal controls of the money going out."
The joint appearance of government auditors comes amid a flurry of legislation pending in Congress that would create additional layers of oversight to the Katrina contracting and award process.
It also comes amid growing charges of favoritism that critics say led to government missteps in the wake of the Katrina disaster.
In a House hearing Tuesday, both Republicans and Democrats assailed Brown, who critics say lacked proper experience for the job, for his performance in handling emergency aid. Brown admitted making some mistakes but placed the brunt of the blame on the Louisiana governor, the New Orleans mayor and even the Bush White House that appointed him.
Blanco on Tuesday had vehemently denied that she waited until the eve of the storm to order an evacuation of New Orleans. She said her order came on the morning of Aug. 27 — two days before the storm — resulting in 1.3 million people evacuating the city.
"Such falsehoods and misleading statements, made under oath before Congress, are shocking," Blanco said in a statement Tuesday.
Rep. Christopher Shays (news, bio, voting record), R-Conn., said Wednesday that while Brown made mistakes, so did others. "He can't be the scapegoat. First responders are local and state, and the governor and mayor did a pathetic job of preparing their people for this horrific storm," Shays said on NBC's "Today" show.
Lawmakers were turning their attention to the lucrative Katrina contracts.
In the weeks after the Aug. 29 storm, more than 80 percent of the $1.5 billion in contracts awarded by FEMA for Katrina work were handed out with little or no competition or had open-ended or vague terms that previous audits have cited as being highly prone to abuse.
They included contracts such as a $16 million deal involving Halliburton subsidiary Kellogg, Brown & Root Services Inc. of Arlington, Va., that has been cited for overcharging the government for work in Iraq; and San-Francisco-based Bechtel Corp. Both companies have strong ties to the Bush administration.
Primary oversight falls to the agency IGs and the GAO, the auditing arm of Congress, but critics have said that isn't enough. The various proposals, including ones from Republican Sen. Susan Collins (news, bio, voting record) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., call for a specially appointed IG who would oversee all the various agencies' work.
But in their testimony Wednesday, the inspectors general said additional review was unnecessary. The GAO and Homeland Security Department IG Richard Skinner have said they would look closely at the no-bid contracts that may have been unfairly awarded based on political connections.
Pentagon auditors also announced a broad-scale review of their defense contracts. The measures include sending teams of auditors to the Gulf Coast to monitor reconstruction efforts.
Investigators also will carefully examine whether federal employees have been abusing government-issued credit cards since their purchase limits were hastily raised to $250,000 to help pay for hurricane-related expenses.
Previous government audits have shown that the credit cards, which typically have a purchase limit of $2,500, were improperly used to pay for prostitutes, gambling activity and even breast implants. About 250,000 federal employees have the government credit cards.
President Bush listens to Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco, left, as acting FEMA director David Paulison, right, looks on during a statement in front of a damaged hanger at Northrop Grumman in Lake Charles, La., Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2005. Bush was getting a personal look at Hurricane Rita's damage to U.S. energy resources while visiting Lake Charles, La., and Beaumont, Texas. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
"Blanco Asks Congress for Rebuilding Aid (.."looking forward, not backward"..)"
Just as I predicted. As residents of glass houses, Nagin and Blanco would just as soon the rock throwing stop.
Blanco on Tuesday had vehemently denied that she waited until the eve of the storm to order an evacuation of New Orleans. She said her order came on the morning of Aug. 27 — two days before the storm — resulting in 1.3 million people evacuating the city.
"Such falsehoods and misleading statements, made under oath before Congress, are shocking," Blanco said in a statement Tuesday.
Rep. Christopher Shays (news, bio, voting record), R-Conn., said Wednesday that while Brown made mistakes, so did others. "He can't be the scapegoat. First responders are local and state, and the governor and mayor did a pathetic job of preparing their people for this horrific storm," Shays said on NBC's "Today" show.
There should be a drinking game, where you drink a shot everytime a politician says we need to move forward.
The state's most pressing need is people willing to work.
Governor Kathleen Blanco, D-La., testifying before Senate Finance Committee on Capital Hill, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2005 in Washington. Blanco asked Congress for help in rebuilding her devastated state, saying Hurricanes Katrina and Rita 'knocked us down but they did not knock us out.' Blanco in her opening statement did not mention former FEMA director Michael Brown, who on Tuesday had blamed state and local officials in Louisiana for not responding appropriately to the storm. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
"The state's most pressing need is people willing to work"
Sorry to say there is not much of a market for muggers and looters, especially if they happen to be cops.
Governor Boo-Hoo is "looking forward" allright. Looking forward to grifting all those federal (read OUR TAXES) dollars..............
If Congressman Shays says other folks hold blame in Louisiana then why isn't that Democrat "witch" failure Kathleen Blanco befor his committee, along without that other New Orleans moron, Mayor Ray Nagin?
Can you say, "alcohol poisoning?"
This is a good recap.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1492820/posts
He's attending to the bidness of rebuilding NO with Je$$e by his side as an advisor. FarraCO N was busy, I guess.. and Rev Al is out helping Cindy pick a wedding dress.
New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, left, and Rev. Jessie Jackson converse during a city council meeting at New Orleans International Airport Tuesday, Sept 27, 2005. It was Nagin's first meeting with the council since Hurricane Katrina devastated the city nearly a month ago. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
The idiot lady LA Senator already asked for 250 billion. I guess this idiot wants a blanco check?
If I were Mississippi, Texas or Alabama...I'd get myself in line and demand a equal amount. Make these idiot congressmen think about the real cost here. Why has this thing become the most unbelievable hurricane of the past 50 years? It hasn't. And that should make people sit and pause.
Was she blubbering when she asked?Now that she's finished looking backward,and blaming everyone but herself,it's clearly time to "move on".Sorry,governor,this buck stops at your desk.
"When so much money is available, it draws people of less than perfect character," H. Walker Feaster, inspector general of the Federal Communications Commission, said.
Half-wit!As opposed to the perfect characters where?The various IG's?This is also the problem with giving legislators salaries,health benefits,and retirement benefits.
...close scrutiny of federal employees who now enjoy a $250,000 — rather than a $2,500 — purchase limit for Katrina-related expenses on their government-issued credit cards.Previous government audits have shown that the credit cards, which typically have a purchase limit of $2,500, were improperly used to pay for prostitutes, gambling activity and even breast implants. About 250,000 federal employees have the government credit cards.
This is wonderful.One wonders whether these improprieties resulted in criminal charges,restitution to the taxpayers,or even the loss of credit card priveleges for the holders.
First responders are local and state, and the governor and mayor did a pathetic job of preparing their people for this horrific storm,"
I think that this bears repeating.
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