Huelskamp: FEMA is for Disaster Recovery, Not a Piggybank for Political Paybacks

Statement

Only a few mere hours before New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced his endorsement of President Obama, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that it would cover entirely the costs of public transportation and power restoration in New York following Hurricane Sandy. Under federal law, FEMA typically reimburses only 75 percent and up to 90 percent for major disasters.

"Apparently the price of a high-level, highly-coveted campaign endorsement is $6 billion in taxpayer funds," Congressman Tim Huelskamp of Kansas said. "We have FEMA for a reason, and that is to help Americans to recover from natural disasters across the nation. But it smacks of cronyism that within hours of being granted a special level of federal reimbursement in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, Mayor Bloomberg announces his endorsement of President Barack Obama. Americans send their tax dollars to Washington to help their fellow Americans recover from disaster, not to be used as a piggy bank for political paybacks."

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