Disaster Fund Is Said to Be Nearly Empty

[cal04]

The federal government’s biggest program to help people rebuild after natural disasters is on the verge of running out of money because of budgeting problems at the agency that runs it, the Small Business Administration.

If Congress does not intervene in the next month or so to cover the administrative costs of the program, it will have to shut down, according to an internal agency memorandum given to The New York Times by a critic of the agency.

Agency officials say, and Congressional leaders agree, that the legislature will almost certainly act to keep the program running. “It would be very surprising to us if they wouldn’t address this,” said Steven C. Preston, the administrator of the S.B.A.

But even a temporary shutdown could delay aid to victims of the ice storms in the Midwest and other recent natural disasters, and would further hamper a program that was widely criticized for its slow response to the hurricanes that hit the Gulf Coast in 2005.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/18/washington/18sba.html?hp&ex=1169096400&en=a2d45757fe3446cf&ei=5094&partner=homepage

[GoddessOfGuinness]

1. Maybe the Big Business Administration should pitch in...

after all, their tax cuts have come at the expense of small businesses.

[nebenaube]

2. now..

that's national security! :sarcasm:

[aquart]

3. I don't even wanna know who he hired to run that one.

In NYC after 9/11, they gave millions to large corporations and banks, but almost nothing to the crippled small businesses of lower Manhattan.

But the Republicans didn't think that was worth investigating.

[Rainscents]

4. Of course not.

It's all in the corporate pockets!

[fooj]

5. Here's the good news...

Uncle DICK is one of the richest men on earth thanks to Halliburton. Go figure.

[daleo]

6. Heck of a job Brownie.

And so forth.

[pinto]

7. This is the kind of neglect of a basic federal function that is so infuriating,

while we watch billions go to prop up the Administration's Middle East fiasco. California just lost a major portion of our citrus crop, a significant part of our avocado crop and many row crops in this week's freeze. California farmers are unanimous in the realization that it's a risky business at times, but theirs is a vital industry for the state and the country. SBA guaranteed loans are a part of a federal response to these losses to foster recovery, along with federal and state support for displaced/unemployed farm employees to help maintain the infrastructure that feeds much of the nation. It just burns me, truth be told.