Congresswoman Waters Leads Congressional Hearing on Federal Response to Gulf Coast Housing Needs
Washington, DC – Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA) called on the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to take responsibility for aiding Gulf Coast states in meeting the affordable housing needs of residents displaced by natural disasters.
"Almost three years after Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast, thousands of families remain homeless, and there is a severe shortage of affordable housing in the region. Federal agencies have a significant responsibility to assist the states, and we need to learn from any mistakes and failures," Congresswoman Waters said.
Congresswoman Waters presided today over a joint hearing of the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity, which she chairs, and the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Emergency Communications, Preparedness and Response, chaired by Congressman Henry Cuellar (D-TX).
At the hearing, representatives from FEMA and HUD faced tough questioning from Members of Congress unhappy with the slow, incomplete and ineffective response to the severe housing needs of Gulf Coast residents. Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank (D-MA) and Homeland Security Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson (D-MS) in particular were critical of HUD and FEMA for failing to accept responsibility and failing to adequately address the shortage of affordable housing in communities devastated by hurricanes.
Even Republicans on the two subcommittees expressed their disappointment in FEMA and HUD. Rep. Mark Souder (R-IN) also took the FEMA and HUD officials to task for failing to be adequately prepared for today's hearing and not being able to answer questions they should have expected.
The full text of Congresswoman Waters' opening statement can be found at https://www.house.gov/apps/list/hearing/ca35_waters/FEMA.html
Additional materials related to the hearing, including a webcast and written testimony, are available at https://www.house.gov/apps/list/hearing/financialsvcs_dem/hr060408.shtml
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