Restore FEMA's Independence

The Miami Herald

For FEMA to be successful, it should be a fully independent department whose director is a member of the Cabinet, with direct access to Congress and the President. ~ every veteran disaster manager who was offered the job declined to take it because of concerns about FEMA's role and independence, according to reports in Knight Ridder newspapers and The New York Times. ~ Post-Katrina investigations into FEMA's poor response found numerous problems, but one of the most frequently cited was the agency's lack of independence now that it is part of the Department of Homeland Security. ~ Congress and the president should make FEMA independent once again. That will establish an all-important direct line between Mr. Paulison and the White House in times of disaster.