Congress to Vote on $10B Katrina Package

[Brightmore]

Congress to Vote on $10B Katrina Package
Associated Press
Andrew Taylor
September 1, 2005

The Bush administration intends to seek $10 billion to cover immediate relief needs in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, congressional officials said Thursday, and lawmakers decided to break off their summer vacation to approve the request by the weekend.

Several officials said the $10 billion would cover immediate costs for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the government's front-line responder in cases of natural disasters.

FEMA is spending an estimated $500 million a day as it struggles to respond to devastating flooding in New Orleans and severe destruction that spans the length of the Gulf Coast from Louisiana to Florida.

It is not necessary for all members of Congress to return to Washington to approve the funding. Several aides indicated the funds would be approved without a roll call vote, a so-called "voice vote" practice often used when there is no dissent about a piece of legislation.

Link

[Freddie Stubbs]

1. You can bet

that they will burn through the money fairly quickly and another appropriation will be needed in a few weeks.

[AlamoDemoc]

2. "FEMA is spending an estimated $500 million a day"

excuse me but how are they spending that money, and on what? some folks in some areas have yet to see single FEMA truck

[Eloriel]

8. Man, that's what I was going to ask YOU

Or someone. Fat chance we're going to get any answers. But I'm wondering if there are any Halliburton contracts in there. Or Giuliani.

[Sabriel]

3. Um, where's the money coming from, exactly?

How many of you out there are furious that your tax dollars can be used to kill innocent people in Iraq, but they're not available to help people in your own country??!!!!

[unrepuke]

4. I wonder how long it will take for $8B to "disappear", ala Baghdad

...and I wonder **choke** who, exactly, will get the No-Bid contract to clean up.

Maybe it starts wih an "H" and ends with an "alliburton" ?

[VegasWolf]

5. Halliburton designated to distribute all 10 Billion as needed. nt

[myrna minx]

That's exactly what I fear.

:puke: You can just imagine the Kellogg Brown and Root "shipping and handling" fees. :puke:

[Dr Fate]

6. Is that not about 70 Billion short? We spent at least 80 in Iraq.

What are our priorities these days?

[GoddessOfGuinness]

7. Sounds like just about enough to rebuild 10

casinos.

[Gregorian]

9. Cancel all military base building in Iraq.

There's your money.

[Enraged_Ape]

10. Ten billion doesn't even get us through two weeks in Iraq

What a joke. What a sick, pathetic, sad, nauseating joke.

[Strawman]

11. What's taking so long?

Guess this doesn't offend the so called "culture of life" as much as a husband making a private decision to pull the feeding tube on his wife who's been brain dead for 15 years.

[shantipriya]

12. Congressional Vote

Why in the hell do we need a vote? Can't the Shrub issue an Executive order like he does for more trivial things.

[paineinthearse]

13. Congress in session this evening

Just announced on CSPAN, their souce is AP.

Purpose: to pass "emergency legislation".

Beware of "emergency legislation" that does not have proper committee review!

[trogdor]

14. So what's up?

[Dogmudgeon]

15. It must be Beer, Pizza 'n' Porno Night!

--p!

[dweller]

18. and Pork!

lotsandlotsa Pork ...

dp

[Waya]

16. 'Bout damn time....

..those runts came back........

[ernstbass]

41. Arrogant assholes should have been in session 48 hrs ago

[flamingyouth]

17. Hope we're not interfering with their Labor Day weekend plans.

:grr:

[Winston702]

19. Draft??

Conscript logistics personnel, engineers, medical professionals, etc.

[RandiFan1290]

22. Hopefully drafting articles of IMPEACHMENT!

:grr:

[rainbow4321]

32. As in the special needs and **medical draft**?

Being a nurse, that kinda crossed my mind today...didn't they declare a public health emergency for the entire area? Did that set the stage for Congress and chimp to have us medical people head to the post office for "registering"????

http://www.sss.gov/FSmedical.htm

The Health Care Personnel Delivery System (HCPDS) is a standby plan developed for the Selective Service System at the request of Congress. If needed it would be used to draft health care personnel in a crisis. It is designed to be implemented in connection with a national mobilization in an emergency, and then only if Congress and the President approve the plan and pass and sign legislation to enact it. No portion of the plan is designed for implementation in peacetime. If implemented, HCPDS would:

Provide a fair and equitable draft of doctors, nurses, medical technicians and those with certain other health care skills if, in some future emergency, the military’s existing medical capability proved insufficient and there is a shortage of volunteers.

Include women, unless directed otherwise by Congress and the President.

Draft a very small percentage of America’s health care providers into military service. Impact on the availability of civilian health care would be minimal. Those health-care workers whose absence would seriously hurt their communities would be deferred on the basis of community essentiality.

Begin a mass registration of male and female health care workers between the ages of 20 and 45. They would register at local post offices. HCPDS would provide medical personnel from a pool of 3.4 million doctors, nurses, specialists and allied health professionals in more than 60 fields of medicine.

Require minimal training for HCPDS draftees, because they are already skilled personnel.

[Name removed]

20. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[BlueJac]

21. So

They don't do anything but pass bad bills. What are they going to do pass a no looting bill, we can't drop food and water bill( it might hurt someone).

[DemNoir]

23. Be very afraid

They will use this as cover to ram through some really evil stuff, just watch.

They will attach bad things to the appropriation bills and then threaten Dems by saying, "look, Dems are blocking aid!"

We are in real danger here.

[Massachusetts]

24. Remeber this at the POLLS (if they're legit)

[Pirate Smile]

25. That is good but Congress just passes legislation. The President

and the States are who are in charge of the execution of all of the rescues, evacuations, etc.

The President doesn't need Congress to do what needs to be done in this situation.

Symbolically though, it is good news.

[snippy]

26. Probably heard about a Schiavo-like situation somewhere on the gulf coast.

[Serial Mom]

38. No, they reacted to Schiavo situation faster!

I heard Lott's house was completely destroyed in AL ... not sure if a fact, but where is everybody??

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

27. "Emergency Legislation"...IMMEDIATE pay raises for all Congress members?

Whatever they pass, look for the pork. ALWAYS look for the pork.

:grr:

[paineinthearse]

28. Remember the Patriot Act

How a 2000+ page document was available for legislative action within a couple of days of 9/11?

What surprise awaits tonight?

Whatever it is, it can be referred to the appropriate committees and sub-committees for citizen input and review.

I am afraid there will be some very insidious passages buried in the bowels of this "emergency legislation".

[Pirate Smile]

35. We don't need any legislation for the government to do its job.

This is an Executive Branch problem - both state and feds.

Later, there will be a need for legislation but not yet and not the rushed crap the Republicans put out.

CNN is reporting Pelosi pushed for this but Hastert resisted and then finally, relented.

They are going to pass more FEMA $$$ CNN is reporting.

Good but $$$ really shouldn't be an issue right now when we are still just trying to rescue people. Just get it done.

God, I'm pissed!

[mom cat]

29. What is in it? Is this another Patriot Act? How did they write anything so

fast? What are the plans for no bid contracts? What about the rescue of the people now?

[MaineDem]

30. I just talked to my Congressman's office. They said no.

They haven't been notified of any special session.

[paineinthearse]

33. I just talked with another - it's "maybe"

(not mine, but one whom I have a good relationship with).

Senior staffer said "maybe" being called into session, she will keep me advised and I will share here.

[paineinthearse]

34. Senior staffer at my Rep's office said * will be giving a speech

concerning this "emergency legislation" this afternoon.

[NorthernSpy]

31. ... just when you think things can't get any worse!

:eyes:

[paineinthearse]

36. * and Bubba and * daddy on CSPAN now

[Freddie Stubbs]

37. Congress to Vote on $10B Katrina Package

(09-01) 11:55 PDT WASHINGTON, (AP) --


The Bush administration intends to seek $10 billion to cover immediate relief needs in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, congressional officials said Thursday, and lawmakers made plans to approve the request by the weekend.

Several officials said the $10 billion would cover immediate costs for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the government's front-line responder in cases of natural disasters.

FEMA is spending an estimated $500 million a day as it struggles to respond to devastating flooding in New Orleans and severe destruction that spans the length of the Gulf Coast from Louisiana to Florida.

It is not necessary for all members of Congress to interrupt their vacations to return to Washington to approve the funding. Several aides indicated the money would likely be approved without a roll call vote, a so-called "voice vote" practice often used when there is no dissent about a piece of legislation.

more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2005/09/01/national/w114653D14.DTL

[Stuckinthebush]

39. Shouldn't they have done this a few days ago?

Just saying...

[LeftHander]

40. 2 billion would of raised the levees...nt

[Miss Chybil]

42. Too bad Terri Schiavo wasn't on a feeding tube in NO. Congress

would have acted much faster.

[Skidmore]

43. I want a roll call vote.