Tom Allen Quotes on Past (3 Quotes)

Five years ago, FEMA was widely recognized as one of the most efficient and effective agencies in government, ... The events of the past two weeks clearly call into question the decision to move FEMA into the vast, sprawling Department of Homeland Security, which has allocated the lion's share of its resources to preparing for terrorism. Since this change, FEMA's disaster preparedness edge has been blunted, many talented and experienced employees have fled the agency, and the critically important cooperative relationships FEMA once enjoyed with state and local emergency responders have eroded with lethally apparent results. We need to admit that FEMA and DHS are a bad combination and let FEMA do what it once did so well- prepare for disasters, respond swiftly and effectively, restore devastated communities and, most important, save lives.

Despite the increase in world attention toward Sudan in the past months, the genocide in Darfur has continued without any serious attempt by the Sudanese government to do what governments primarily exist to do, protect their citizens.

Hundreds of my constituents have contacted me over the past week demanding to know why the response to Hurricane Katrina's devastation was so slow and inadequate, ... They don't want finger-pointing, but they also don't want buck passing. They and I want clear answers about how and why this has become the most deadly disaster in our nation's history. What could we have done in the months and years before Katrina to better protect New Orleans and other Gulf communities Why were so many thousands of people unable to evacuate the area in advance of the storm Why did it take such a fatally long time for basic rescue, relief and security services to reach the tens of thousands of Americans trapped in the nightmare left in Katrina's wake What steps must we take to prevent a similar catastrophe in the future These are just some of the questions that we owe it to the victims to resolve.