Burlington, Vt - Peter Welch, candidate for U.S. Congress, issued the following proposal for reforming the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA):

"After seeing the response to Hurricane Katrina, there is no question that FEMA needs to be reformed to ensure we have a reliable response to domestic disasters. The first step in that reform is returning FEMA to a separate, independent agency. I would join Sens. Leahy and Jeffords in supporting the Federal Emergency Management Agency Restoration Act of 2005 to accomplish this goal.

"The question is who is best able to ensure adequate reform. The current Administration has put unqualified leadership in charge, bungled a foreseeable disaster and is inadequately prepared for the new hurricane season. At the same time, despite the failures last year, the Republican led Congress has not exercised its oversight authority.

"The Republican-led Congress has failed to provide adequate oversight and support for FEMA since 9-11. FEMA has gone from being an independent cabinet-level agency to an underfunded, isolated piece of the sprawling Department of Homeland Security. Just last week, the House voted against increasing FEMA funding, with 224 Republicans voting to defeat the funding [HR 5441, vote #211, 5.25.06].

"We need new leadership in Congress that can ensure FEMA has:

• independent authority
• adequate funding
• proper oversight
• accountability for its leadership.

"To assure the effectiveness of FEMA, the agency must be fully staffed with experienced workers, must have capable and qualified leaders, and have the budget resources necessary to complete its job well.

"Furthermore, it is not just FEMA that needs a change. We must change the Congressional leadership that has failed to adequately fund first responders and border patrol agents, and failed to address the problems brought to our attention by the inadequate response to Katrina. All of these failures compromise our nation,s preparedness for future disasters and highlight the need for change."