Barbour unhappy with Bush's Katrina plan
JACKSON - Gov. Haley Barbour said he's focusing his efforts in Washington on "the single biggest issue facing Mississippi citizens": financial help for Hurricane Katrina victims who didn't have federal flood insurance.
"I am disappointed in the president's recommendation (to Congress) because that wasn't recommended," Barbour said Monday. "I'm not just a little disappointed. It's undeniable that the federal government played a major role in thousands of Mississippi residents relying to their detriment on the federal government's advice that they were outside the flood plain and didn't need it."
Barbour said Mississippi's congressional delegation is pushing for measures to help these homeowners, "and we continue to make our case to the administration." He said he hopes Congress adopts Katrina relief spending plans soon, possibly by the end of next week. Barbour said he is traveling to Washington late today to meet with President Bush's newly appointed Katrina recovery ombudsman.
Barbour said the temporary housing program continues to move too slowly. He said that 15,686 FEMA trailers are now occupied but that a total of 35,000 are needed.
The governor said he doubts whether the FEMA trailer program can be speeded beyond its current pace, which, he said, is beyond the scope of any previous disaster in the nation's history. He said the solution may be more "alternatives" like the cruise ship currently being used.
"There's a game called whack-a-mole," Barbour said, "That's what the temporary housing situation has been like. Every time you solve one problem, another one pops up."
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"I am disappointed in the president's recommendation (to Congress) because that wasn't recommended," Barbour said Monday. "I'm not just a little disappointed. It's undeniable that the federal government played a major role in thousands of Mississippi residents relying to their detriment on the federal government's advice that they were outside the flood plain and didn't need it."
Barbour said Mississippi's congressional delegation is pushing for measures to help these homeowners, "and we continue to make our case to the administration." He said he hopes Congress adopts Katrina relief spending plans soon, possibly by the end of next week. Barbour said he is traveling to Washington late today to meet with President Bush's newly appointed Katrina recovery ombudsman.
Barbour said the temporary housing program continues to move too slowly. He said that 15,686 FEMA trailers are now occupied but that a total of 35,000 are needed.
The governor said he doubts whether the FEMA trailer program can be speeded beyond its current pace, which, he said, is beyond the scope of any previous disaster in the nation's history. He said the solution may be more "alternatives" like the cruise ship currently being used.
"There's a game called whack-a-mole," Barbour said, "That's what the temporary housing situation has been like. Every time you solve one problem, another one pops up."
Link
posted by Kent at 12:37 PM
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