Clinton Draws Heat in Role Of a Conspicuous Critic -
Washington Post
Thursday, September 8, 2005
"Clinton has long maintained that she is focused solely on serving the interests of her New York constituents. But she was on all three network morning shows yesterday to promote her call for returning the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to independent status, and for creating an independent commission to investigate what went wrong when the storm hit and the levees gave way in New Orleans.
Both she and her husband began to sound public alarms last Friday during a joint appearance at the New York State Fair, but their criticism, particularly by the former first lady, has grown increasingly pointed. During a conference call with reporters on Tuesday, she accused the administration of rejecting the Clinton administration's policy giving FEMA responsibility to prepare state and local communities for disaster relief, and to lead when disasters occur.
"They do believe that people should rely on state and local response and private charities," she said. "I think that is a recipe for disaster. . . . There was nobody in charge in the federal government, and there was nobody willing to take responsibility to work with state and local officials to make sure they were prepared." ...
One Clinton adviser said the New York senator has chosen to speak out so forcefully in large part because of her longstanding opposition to the shift of FEMA into the Department of Homeland Security, and because of her concerns that an ill-prepared FEMA poses problems for her constituents in a state regarded as a prime target of terrorist attacks.
In addition, she and her husband consider the performance of FEMA under James Lee Witt, its former director and a fellow Arkansan, to be one of the true success stories of the Clinton administration. The Clintons believe the agency has been degraded under Bush. Clinton allies say anger over FEMA's performance and a belief that the Bush administration has harmed the agency motivated the senator to jump into the debate. From a purely political point of view, they say, it might have been wiser to maintain a lower profile.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/07/AR2005090701986.htmlFrom campaign website:
A Presidential Gulf Coast Recovery Agenda"Hillary Clinton announced an agenda that she would pursue as president to cut through the red tape, deliver the promised federal assistance, and get services running and infrastructure built in New Orleans and across the Gulf Coast. Hillary believes that it is unacceptable that 20 months after the storms, New Orleans is still coping with vulnerable levees, closed hospitals, dilapidated schools, rising crime, halting economic development, and a shocking lack of affordable housing. Hillary also believes that the people of New Orleans and the region – with real federal commitment and meaningful federal aid – can overcome these challenges. Here is what she would do to help them:
1. Elevate Federal Rebuilding Contractor - As president, Senator Clinton would take the federal rebuilding coordinator out of the Department of Homeland Security bureaucracy and put him in the West Wing, reporting directly to the president. She would meet with the Director weekly and grant him full authority to lead all federal participation in Gulf Coast recovery. The Director’s first order of business would be to conduct a Katrina/Rita Recovery Census – canvassing all federal assistance needs of Gulf Coast communities. ...
2. Cut Red Tape - Senator Clinton would take a series of immediate, concrete steps to move federal dollars to where they belong. She would eliminate the local match requirement for FEMA recovery funds. She would streamline and simplify the “project worksheet” process of securing FEMA public infrastructure grants, and deploy sufficient staff to clear backlogs. ...
3. Attract Workers to Rebuild New Orleans and the Region - As president, Hillary would create a Gulf Coast Corps, governed by a joint federal-state-local board. The Corps would have two tracks: (1) it would provide financial incentives to skilled professionals – teachers, doctors, nurses, etc. – to serve in high-need areas as identified by state and local officials; and (2) it would directly hire thousands of workers and apprentices – especially locals and those who left but want to return – to complete priority public works projects, as identified by the states. ...
4. Build a Reliable Hurricane Protection System - There are still clear gaps and deficiencies in the city’s hurricane defenses. Senator Clinton would immediately order an independent, stem-to-stern review of the Army Corps of Engineers’ plans and progress thus far. ...
5. Expand Affordable Housing
6. Combat Rising Crime and Give First Responders Needed Tools
7. Build 21st Century Schools - The schools in New Orleans suffered hundreds of millions in damage, and remain in various states of disrepair. Senator Clinton would renovate and modernize school facilities through the Gulf Coast Corps. The Corps would also fill the large teacher shortage – officials are anticipating 650 vacancies alone in the Recovery School District. In addition, Senator Clinton would direct the EPA to provide technical assistance through its “Tools for Schools” program to help New Orleans build modern school facilities that are energy efficient, free of lead, mold and other pollutants, and designed to maximize fresh air and sunlight. ...
http://www.hillaryclinton.com/feature/katrina/
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