$51B in aid, but it's bottled up

[brooklynite]

Victims have not seen cash

By MICHAEL McAULIFF
DAILY NEWS WASHINGTON BUREAU

WASHINGTON - Congress approved $51.8 billion in Katrina aid yesterday, but it won't get there soon enough for the people who tried - and failed - to get promised emergency payments.

President Bush signed the bill last night. Earlier, he went on TV to tell victims how to get help, saying more than 400,000 people already have signed up for benefits. He told tens of thousands more to apply but said they must be patient as they try to contact the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

"Now we have 3,000 people who are working around the clock to take the calls," Bush said. "We're in the process of training more, and that number will be increasing dramatically." But access to the harshly criticized agency's Web site was spotty, and getting through by phone was all but impossible.

There was also confusion over the $2,000 debit cards promised to victims who lined up for hours to get them yesterday, only to learn they were not available.

A FEMA spokesman said news of the cards had been overblown, and except for a "pilot program" at the Houston Astrodome starting today, payments would be made by check or wire transfer. Frustrated evacuees were forced to go away with cards the Red Cross was able to provide - with far less money.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/special/story/344645p-294240c.html
- - -
The greatest natural disaster to hit the nation certainly seems like a good time to do product testing, doesn't it?

[barbaraann]

1. They don't have the money.

They've bankrupted our country. Maybe that's why that were stalling!

[nookiemonster]

3. No shit. It's dipping into their "kitty" and they'll have no part of it.

:mad:

eom

[brooklynite]

2. Something else just occured to me...

A FEMA spokesman said news of the cards had been overblown, and except for a "pilot program" at the Houston Astrodome starting today, payments would be made by check or wire transfer

Has it, perhaps occurred to FEMA that the evacuees bank's are under six feet of water, or that their checkbooks, ATM Cards and bank statements are missing, or even that they're 1,000 miles away from the nearest bank branch they can use?

[OregonBlue]

4. Pilot program roll out at astrodome so they can get rid of those people.

They need the Astrodome for a game next week. There are 8,065 people in the dome with no money to go anywhere. Coincidentally, they just happen to be rolling the "pilot program" of 8,000 out at the dome. People now have money to leave. Problem solved. Pilot will be declared anaffective and they can cancel.

[tkmorris]

6. I don't know where this rumor came from but

The Astrodome is unused for any events anymore, which is why it was offered to move people from the Superdome. AFAIK there is and was no game scheduled for next week or ever.

[USA_1]

5. Where's the money going???

To Halliburton subsidiaries!


IMPEACH BUSH!!!

[Carolab]

7. I couldn't believe it when I heard Tucker Carlson talk about this tonight.

He actually said that this needs Federal oversight and accountability because alot of the money might be "misspent or even stolen"! And he promised that they would keep on top of it!