McHugh Joins Colleagues in Calling for Accountability on Hurricane Spending

McHUGH JOINS COLLEAGUES IN CALLING FOR ACCOUNTABILITY ON HURRICANE SPENDING
November 1, 2005

Backs Effort to Create Special Inspector General for Hurricane Recovery

WASHINGTON, D.C. - As cleanup and recovery efforts continue along the hurricane-devastated Gulf Coast, the focus remains strong on the need to monitor federal spending in the region. Rep. John M. McHugh (R-NY) has joined more than 40 colleagues in sponsoring House legislation to create a Special Inspector General to oversee and investigate Hurricane Katrina recovery expenditures.

"With the billons of dollars Congress has provided for recovery and rebuilding, it is critical that we have someone in place to oversee what must be done to prevent future abuses - to ensure that funds are being used properly and distributed to those who need it most," McHugh added. "As the region moves more into the rebuilding stage, it also will become more important than ever to have close oversight of contracting awards."

A special inspectors general working group for homeland security, which includes participation by many of the major agencies involved in the recovery effort, has been established by the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Office of Inspector General. Congress also has directed $15 million for monitoring of disaster expenditures within the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and these other major agencies.

"Though DHS has taken steps to protect the federal pocketbook from fraudulent acts, we can and must do more to oversee the use of taxpayer money," McHugh said. "This bill calls for a Special Inspector General to audit the billions of dollars that have and will continue to be spent on relief and reconstruction efforts in the Gulf Coast region. We owe it to the American people to see that federal dollars are not being wasted."

http://mchugh.house.gov/pr2005/110105_KatrinaIG.html