Aderholt Questions FEMA Administrator Fugate on FY13 Budget

Aderholt Questions FEMA Administrator Fugate on FY13 Budget
Demands Answers on Disaster Relief Funding and Grant Reform

Washington, D.C. — Congressman Robert Aderholt (AL-04), Chairman of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on the House Appropriations Committee, today released the following statement after the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Craig Fugate testified before the Subcommittee regarding FEMA’s priorities and FY13 budget request.

“Just this past weekend we were again reminded of the devastating impact natural disasters can have when storms ripped through the Country,” said Aderholt. “We thank the dedicated local, state and federal officials on the ground for their continued efforts and our thoughts and prayers are with those that have been affected by this devastation. These tragic events again bring to light an issue this Subcommittee has addressed time and time again—adequate planning and funding for disaster recovery. The FY13 budget request calls for $6.1 billion for the Disaster Relief Fund, $5.5 billion of which is slated for major disasters. With multiple, costly ongoing recovery project and the constant threat of additional natural disasters, it is imperative that FEMA efficiently execute disaster recovery efforts and do so in a fiscally responsible and cost effective manner.”

“The FY13 budget proposal also includes a restructure to the grant program that builds on the reforms instituted by this Subcommittee last year. However, instead of building on existing authorities as we did last year, this budget request proposes the creation of an entirely new program called the National Preparedness Grant Program, but provides little detail on how this new program will be executed. In today’s tight budget environment, we simply cannot afford to create another program with no directives, no benchmarks and no accountability.”

“Additionally the FY13 budget request includes $670 million for assistance to firefighters, $335 million of which is for SAFER grants. Earlier this year the President announced his intent to use SAFER grant funds to help hire post 9/11 veterans to be firefighters. However, this budget proposal also requests a waiver of the requirement that these funds be used for new firefighter hires. While I commend the President’s efforts to help our nation’s veterans enter the civilian workforce, I find this initiative and the FY13 budget request to be quite contradictory.”

“In today’s tough budget environment vague directives and contradictory vision statements are of great concern to this Subcommittee. It is our job to ensure FEMA is successfully executing its core missions, while responsibly spending American taxpayer’s limited dollars to do so,” concluded Aderholt.

Aderholt currently serves as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Homeland Security for the powerful House Appropriations Committee, is a member of the Committee’s Commerce, Justice and Science; and Agriculture Subcommittees, and also serves on the Helsinki Commission.

For more information about Aderholt’s work in Congress visit www.aderholt.house.gov.