Response to those who would blame local and state level officials

[Walt Starr]

Under the Homeland Security Act of 2002, passed by Congress and signed into law by George W. Bush, primary responsibility for any emergenccy of this magnitude ALWAYS falls to the Department of Homeland Security.

The Department of Homeland Security and FEMA are responsible under the law. Any other responsibility must be considered secondary to the responsibility held by the DHS and FEMA under the law.

[LiberalUprising]

1. Got a link Walt

I'd like to pass this around

[Walt Starr]

3. Link

http://news.findlaw.com/hdocs/docs/terrorism/hsa2002.pdf

[Duer 157099]

7. Can you point to a specific part of the Bill?

It's awfully long...

[Walt Starr]

12. What, you don't want to slog through 475 pages?

Title 1 - Department of Homeland Security
Section 101 Executive Department; mission.
Paragraph (D): carry out all functions of entities transferred to the Department, including by acting as a focal point regarding natural and manmade crises and emergency planning;

Then...

TITLE V—EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE

Pretty much everything here. Section 504 is not so applicable. Section 505 is esecially applicable.

[Duer 157099]

15. Whew, thanks, you saved me

I was dreading reading that whole thing! Now I know how congress feels....

[Walt Starr]

16. Congress doesn't feel that way

Congresspeople NEVER read tese things.

Congressional aids feel that way.

:evilgrin:

[lostnfound]

17. I think 507 is what you want, not 505. 505 is terror only

Sec 507
(1) ROLE OF FEMA.—1 .—Notwithstanding any other

2 provision of this Act, the Federal Emergency Manage3

ment Agency shall remain the lead agency for the

4 Federal Response Plan established under Executive

5 Order 12148 (44 Fed. Reg. 43239) and Executive

6 Order 12656 (53 Fed. Reg. 47491).

[fooj]

2. Right on! Thanks for sharing this, Walt.

I'm passing it on...

Peace.

[Igel]

4. So why the dispute with Blanco?

If primary responsibility falls to DHS/FEMA, she's secondary, at most.

She issues statements saying she's in charge: is she lying? Or just misinformed?

[rateyes]

8. She is in charge of the Louisiana National Guard...

the Commander-in-chief of that unit, if you will. She sent them IMMEDIATELY--although most of that force was in Iraq. She would not sign over her authority for them to *, and she shouldn't it. We've all seen how competent he is about where and how to use troops.

[calimary]

5. A couple of useful clips from other threads, for more ammo:

Nope. Federal, not state responsibility... read this... The National Response Plan (NRP) was accepted and implemented by Bush Administration in December 2004.


http://www.dhs.gov/interweb/assetlibrary/NRPbaseplan.pd...
http://www1.va.gov/emshg/docs/national_response_plan/fi...

some quotes:

Guiding principles for proactive Federal response include the following:
• The primary mission is to save lives; protect critical infrastructure, property, and the environment; contain the event; and preserve national security.
• Standard procedures regarding requests for assistance may be expedited or, under extreme circumstances, suspended in the immediate aftermath of an event of catastrophic magnitude.

• Notification and full coordination with States will occur, but the coordination process must not delay or impede the rapid deployment and use of critical resources. States are urged to notify and coordinate with local governments regarding a proactive Federal response.

The President leads the Nation in responding effectively
and ensuring the necessary resources are applied quickly
and efficiently to all Incidents of National Significance.
Please also note this: (snip)

MR. RUSSERT: But that's the point. Those who got out were people with SUVs and automobiles and air fares who could get out. Those who could not get out were the poor who rely on public buses to get out. Your Web site says that your department assumes primary responsibility for a national disaster. If you knew a hurricane 3 storm was coming, why weren't buses, trains, planes, cruise ships, trucks provided on Friday, Saturday, Sunday to evacuate people before the storm?

Note the FOURTH SENTENCE. UMMMM... I guess that means the feds ARE INDEED ultimately accountable for this. They can try to spin off the blame on somebody farther down the food chain, but this ON THEIR WEBSITE, DECLARES FLAT-OUT, that the Department of Homeland Security bears primary responsibility for a national disaster. Instead, we have a Department of Homeland Security that IS a national disaster.

From DU thread:
Russert Tears Up Homeland Security Chief (Are you planning resignation?)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...
FROM DU THREAD:
NYT: White House Enacts a Plan to Ease Political Damage(blame state/local)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1754034#1754039

[Blue Topaz]

6. Calimary, your first two links don't open

I'd love to read these, in order to refute the huge winger push toward blaming the locals.

[Randypiper]

9. America blog lists the web page here

http://americablog.blogspot.com/2005/09/oops-dept-of-homeland-security-web.html

[onecent]

10. I'm worried about Blanco - don't trust **** - n/t

[chomskysright]

13. Shame game: Dear Governor Blanco:

Dear Governor Blanco:

It must be tough being a woman and the governor of a state with so many poor people like Louisiana. Phyllis Schafly is probably not very please with that but what does she know! My husband told me the other night that a woman had no business being a governor but I told him to 'sit down, Harold.'

I think its probably a good idea for you to work with President Bush though I know that he has not (obviously) been so helpful lately. If the soldiers go in there, I am sure we can restore order quickly. Why, one soldier was so distraught he said, 'why its like animals in there', referring to the Convention Center. I sure hope you get some water to those people. I guess if they have to stay for a few weeks, that's better than being out on the street.

Sincerely,
New Orleans white cracker demoiselle

[raggedcompany]

11. kick n/t

[Laelth]

14. The white house web page says it all:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/08/20050827-1.html

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
August 27, 2005

Statement on Federal Emergency Assistance for Louisiana

The President today declared an emergency exists in the State of Louisiana and ordered Federal aid to supplement state and local response efforts in the parishes located in the path of Hurricane Katrina beginning on August 26, 2005, and continuing.

The President's action authorizes the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to coordinate all disaster relief efforts which have the purpose of alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population, and to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures, authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act, to save lives, protect property and public health and safety, or to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in the parishes of Allen, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Caldwell, Claiborne, Catahoula, Concordia, De Soto, East Baton Rouge, East Carroll, East Feliciana, Evangeline, Franklin, Grant, Jackson, LaSalle, Lincoln, Livingston, Madison, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Pointe Coupee, Ouachita, Rapides, Red River, Richland, Sabine, St. Helena, St. Landry, Tensas, Union, Vernon, Webster, West Carroll, West Feliciana, and Winn.

Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize, and provide at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency. Debris removal and emergency protective measures, including direct Federal assistance, will be provided at 75 percent Federal funding.

Representing FEMA, Michael D. Brown, Under Secretary for Emergency Preparedness and Response, Department of Homeland Security, named William Lokey as the Federal Coordinating Officer for Federal recovery operations in the affected area.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: FEMA [phone].

Bottom line: Blanco declared a state of emergency and requested Federal aid on August 28, a day before the storm hit. Bush authorized FEMA to respond. The response was so slow and so inadequate as to constitute criminal negligence.

:mad:

-Laelth