Re: F*E*M*A*

[Guest guest]

I was wondering where the letter came from. I want to forward it to a

radio talk show host, but I don't want to give it to the guy without

attribution. I'm also thinking of doing the same on some of the EMS

issues to see about trying to get EMS a little positive attention.

Thanks in advance

Crosby

EMT-B

F*E*M*A*

Governor Rick sent the following letter to Homeland Security

Director

Chertoff outlining the difficulties Texas is experiencing with

the

Federal Emergency Management Agency.

November 1, 2005

The Honorable Chertoff

Secretary of Homeland Security

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Washington, D.C. 20528

Dear Secretary Chertoff:

I appreciate our recent opportunity to have a candid discussion about

the

unique homeland security challenges facing our state. It is in that same

spirit of candor that I write to you today concerning serious problems

in

Texas' recovery efforts following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. My

concern is

that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has engaged in

inconsistent and disparate treatment of Texas on several important

fronts. I

am very concerned that state and local leaders are getting conflicting

instructions from FEMA, that tens of thousands of Katrina evacuees will

soon

be evicted with no place to go, because of poor planning for long-term

housing, that we have yet to receive information from FEMA identifying

sex

offenders and violent criminals among the Katrina evacuees, and that our

victims of Rita are being treated differently from the Louisiana victims

of

Rita. As you know, natural disasters recognize no state boundaries, and

neither should FEMA.

Last month, I asked FEMA to extend the federal government's agreement to

pay

100 percent of costs for debris removal and emergency protective

measures in

affected Texas counties for another 60 days to allow sufficient time to

clean up from the devastating effects of Hurricane Rita. FEMA denied

this

request, stating that " the severity and magnitude of the impacts did not

warrant " an extension. That decision means Texas counties face paying 25

percent of the clean-up costs. I promptly appealed this decision in a

letter

to President Bush today that requested full reimbursement for a minimum

of

30 additional days. I request your support of this common-sense appeal.

The rural counties of East Texas were shouldering a heavy burden from

Hurricane Katrina when Rita made landfall. Rita was not an ordinary

disaster

because of the very fact that many Texas communities were inundated with

the

great human needs of Katrina evacuees when the second storm made

landfall.

The budgets of sparsely populated jurisdictions have limited

flexibility,

and these consecutive disasters have stretched them so thinly that

funding

for other basic services is affected.

Further, the original debris removal reimbursement structure was based

on an

Army Corps of Engineers estimate of debris amounts in affected counties;

actual debris amounts exceed this estimate by more than 50 percent. At

the

same time Texas' extension was denied, however, FEMA approved a

Louisiana

request for a 30-day extension of its emergency declaration, agreeing to

pay

90 percent of the costs for Louisianans. Texas should be afforded the

same

reimbursement structure as our Louisiana neighbors. In fact,

inconsistent

and shifting FEMA reimbursement policies for cities and counties create

difficulties for local jurisdictions, and I urge you to comprehensively

address this challenge.

I also want to urge you once again to enact a housing program that gives

families and individuals displaced by Hurricane Katrina the leverage to

secure a long-term residence in their home state of Louisiana, or the

location of their choice. Texas has compassionately provided for the

needs

of more than 400,000 Katrina evacuees who sought refuge after the

disaster.

However, our communities cannot be expected to support such a large

evacuee

population on a long-term basis without substantial federal aid.

Temporary

housing solutions are beginning to create long-term problems for our

state.

The Texas Apartment Association is today announcing that the eviction of

15,000 people displaced by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita is imminent,

because

no rent has been paid for three months or serious lease violations have

occurred. An additional 50,000 evacuees could face eviction next month -

and

these figures only represent the segment of evacuees who chose

apartments as

their temporary home. The inability to provide evacuees with long-term

stability is a crucial issue that the federal government must resolve

quickly, because it poses significant issues for our communities

concerning

how to handle thousands of individuals who suddenly find themselves

homeless

once again.

Third, when we met earlier this month, it was my understanding that

Deputy

Secretary denied extensions for FY04 and FY05 homeland

security grants, but authorized a six-month extension for the FY03

grants

that Texas had requested. However, in an October 21, 2005, letter to

Texas

Homeland Security Director Steve McCraw, the Office for Domestic

Preparedness stated that FY03 grant extensions were contingent upon a

detailed letter of justification and are not guaranteed for approval.

While

I understand that a case-by-case approach is better suited to FY04 and

FY05

grant extensions, I request your full support of a blanket extension for

FY03 grants in Texas. Without a grant extension, local jurisdictions

will be

delayed in achieving your national homeland security priorities that are

critical for disaster response and recovery, including radio

interoperability, information sharing and collaboration capabilities,

and

continuity of government.

Finally, FEMA's failure to swiftly assist Texas in identifying Katrina

sex

offenders and violent criminals, as well as parolees and probationers

who

are subject to supervision, continues to jeopardize the safety of Texans

and

other Katrina evacuees. It is essential that we do everything we can to

identify criminal evacuees now residing in Texas. While I was pleased to

learn on October 31 that the Security Division of FEMA has agreed to

check

the names of Louisiana sex offenders against the list of registered

evacuees

in our state, Texas made that request weeks earlier and had even

supplied

the names on October 16. We need this information provided to us in an

expeditious manner to ensure the safety of the evacuee population and

communities that have welcomed them. I look forward to the same

cooperation

in the near future when Texas requests a similar security check with the

list of Louisiana parolees and offenders serving probations.

Again, I appreciate your time and request your expeditious assistance in

resolving the issues I have outlined in this letter. If you need

additional

information, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

Rick

Governor of Texas

[Guest guest]

I was wondering where the letter came from. I want to forward it to a

radio talk show host, but I don't want to give it to the guy without

attribution. I'm also thinking of doing the same on some of the EMS

issues to see about trying to get EMS a little positive attention.

Thanks in advance

Crosby

EMT-B

F*E*M*A*

Governor Rick sent the following letter to Homeland Security

Director

Chertoff outlining the difficulties Texas is experiencing with

the

Federal Emergency Management Agency.

November 1, 2005

The Honorable Chertoff

Secretary of Homeland Security

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Washington, D.C. 20528

Dear Secretary Chertoff:

I appreciate our recent opportunity to have a candid discussion about

the

unique homeland security challenges facing our state. It is in that same

spirit of candor that I write to you today concerning serious problems

in

Texas' recovery efforts following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. My

concern is

that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has engaged in

inconsistent and disparate treatment of Texas on several important

fronts. I

am very concerned that state and local leaders are getting conflicting

instructions from FEMA, that tens of thousands of Katrina evacuees will

soon

be evicted with no place to go, because of poor planning for long-term

housing, that we have yet to receive information from FEMA identifying

sex

offenders and violent criminals among the Katrina evacuees, and that our

victims of Rita are being treated differently from the Louisiana victims

of

Rita. As you know, natural disasters recognize no state boundaries, and

neither should FEMA.

Last month, I asked FEMA to extend the federal government's agreement to

pay

100 percent of costs for debris removal and emergency protective

measures in

affected Texas counties for another 60 days to allow sufficient time to

clean up from the devastating effects of Hurricane Rita. FEMA denied

this

request, stating that " the severity and magnitude of the impacts did not

warrant " an extension. That decision means Texas counties face paying 25

percent of the clean-up costs. I promptly appealed this decision in a

letter

to President Bush today that requested full reimbursement for a minimum

of

30 additional days. I request your support of this common-sense appeal.

The rural counties of East Texas were shouldering a heavy burden from

Hurricane Katrina when Rita made landfall. Rita was not an ordinary

disaster

because of the very fact that many Texas communities were inundated with

the

great human needs of Katrina evacuees when the second storm made

landfall.

The budgets of sparsely populated jurisdictions have limited

flexibility,

and these consecutive disasters have stretched them so thinly that

funding

for other basic services is affected.

Further, the original debris removal reimbursement structure was based

on an

Army Corps of Engineers estimate of debris amounts in affected counties;

actual debris amounts exceed this estimate by more than 50 percent. At

the

same time Texas' extension was denied, however, FEMA approved a

Louisiana

request for a 30-day extension of its emergency declaration, agreeing to

pay

90 percent of the costs for Louisianans. Texas should be afforded the

same

reimbursement structure as our Louisiana neighbors. In fact,

inconsistent

and shifting FEMA reimbursement policies for cities and counties create

difficulties for local jurisdictions, and I urge you to comprehensively

address this challenge.

I also want to urge you once again to enact a housing program that gives

families and individuals displaced by Hurricane Katrina the leverage to

secure a long-term residence in their home state of Louisiana, or the

location of their choice. Texas has compassionately provided for the

needs

of more than 400,000 Katrina evacuees who sought refuge after the

disaster.

However, our communities cannot be expected to support such a large

evacuee

population on a long-term basis without substantial federal aid.

Temporary

housing solutions are beginning to create long-term problems for our

state.

The Texas Apartment Association is today announcing that the eviction of

15,000 people displaced by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita is imminent,

because

no rent has been paid for three months or serious lease violations have

occurred. An additional 50,000 evacuees could face eviction next month -

and

these figures only represent the segment of evacuees who chose

apartments as

their temporary home. The inability to provide evacuees with long-term

stability is a crucial issue that the federal government must resolve

quickly, because it poses significant issues for our communities

concerning

how to handle thousands of individuals who suddenly find themselves

homeless

once again.

Third, when we met earlier this month, it was my understanding that

Deputy

Secretary denied extensions for FY04 and FY05 homeland

security grants, but authorized a six-month extension for the FY03

grants

that Texas had requested. However, in an October 21, 2005, letter to

Texas

Homeland Security Director Steve McCraw, the Office for Domestic

Preparedness stated that FY03 grant extensions were contingent upon a

detailed letter of justification and are not guaranteed for approval.

While

I understand that a case-by-case approach is better suited to FY04 and

FY05

grant extensions, I request your full support of a blanket extension for

FY03 grants in Texas. Without a grant extension, local jurisdictions

will be

delayed in achieving your national homeland security priorities that are

critical for disaster response and recovery, including radio

interoperability, information sharing and collaboration capabilities,

and

continuity of government.

Finally, FEMA's failure to swiftly assist Texas in identifying Katrina

sex

offenders and violent criminals, as well as parolees and probationers

who

are subject to supervision, continues to jeopardize the safety of Texans

and

other Katrina evacuees. It is essential that we do everything we can to

identify criminal evacuees now residing in Texas. While I was pleased to

learn on October 31 that the Security Division of FEMA has agreed to

check

the names of Louisiana sex offenders against the list of registered

evacuees

in our state, Texas made that request weeks earlier and had even

supplied

the names on October 16. We need this information provided to us in an

expeditious manner to ensure the safety of the evacuee population and

communities that have welcomed them. I look forward to the same

cooperation

in the near future when Texas requests a similar security check with the

list of Louisiana parolees and offenders serving probations.

Again, I appreciate your time and request your expeditious assistance in

resolving the issues I have outlined in this letter. If you need

additional

information, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

Rick

Governor of Texas

[Guest guest]

I was wondering where the letter came from. I want to forward it to a

radio talk show host, but I don't want to give it to the guy without

attribution. I'm also thinking of doing the same on some of the EMS

issues to see about trying to get EMS a little positive attention.

Thanks in advance

Crosby

EMT-B

F*E*M*A*

Governor Rick sent the following letter to Homeland Security

Director

Chertoff outlining the difficulties Texas is experiencing with

the

Federal Emergency Management Agency.

November 1, 2005

The Honorable Chertoff

Secretary of Homeland Security

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Washington, D.C. 20528

Dear Secretary Chertoff:

I appreciate our recent opportunity to have a candid discussion about

the

unique homeland security challenges facing our state. It is in that same

spirit of candor that I write to you today concerning serious problems

in

Texas' recovery efforts following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. My

concern is

that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has engaged in

inconsistent and disparate treatment of Texas on several important

fronts. I

am very concerned that state and local leaders are getting conflicting

instructions from FEMA, that tens of thousands of Katrina evacuees will

soon

be evicted with no place to go, because of poor planning for long-term

housing, that we have yet to receive information from FEMA identifying

sex

offenders and violent criminals among the Katrina evacuees, and that our

victims of Rita are being treated differently from the Louisiana victims

of

Rita. As you know, natural disasters recognize no state boundaries, and

neither should FEMA.

Last month, I asked FEMA to extend the federal government's agreement to

pay

100 percent of costs for debris removal and emergency protective

measures in

affected Texas counties for another 60 days to allow sufficient time to

clean up from the devastating effects of Hurricane Rita. FEMA denied

this

request, stating that " the severity and magnitude of the impacts did not

warrant " an extension. That decision means Texas counties face paying 25

percent of the clean-up costs. I promptly appealed this decision in a

letter

to President Bush today that requested full reimbursement for a minimum

of

30 additional days. I request your support of this common-sense appeal.

The rural counties of East Texas were shouldering a heavy burden from

Hurricane Katrina when Rita made landfall. Rita was not an ordinary

disaster

because of the very fact that many Texas communities were inundated with

the

great human needs of Katrina evacuees when the second storm made

landfall.

The budgets of sparsely populated jurisdictions have limited

flexibility,

and these consecutive disasters have stretched them so thinly that

funding

for other basic services is affected.

Further, the original debris removal reimbursement structure was based

on an

Army Corps of Engineers estimate of debris amounts in affected counties;

actual debris amounts exceed this estimate by more than 50 percent. At

the

same time Texas' extension was denied, however, FEMA approved a

Louisiana

request for a 30-day extension of its emergency declaration, agreeing to

pay

90 percent of the costs for Louisianans. Texas should be afforded the

same

reimbursement structure as our Louisiana neighbors. In fact,

inconsistent

and shifting FEMA reimbursement policies for cities and counties create

difficulties for local jurisdictions, and I urge you to comprehensively

address this challenge.

I also want to urge you once again to enact a housing program that gives

families and individuals displaced by Hurricane Katrina the leverage to

secure a long-term residence in their home state of Louisiana, or the

location of their choice. Texas has compassionately provided for the

needs

of more than 400,000 Katrina evacuees who sought refuge after the

disaster.

However, our communities cannot be expected to support such a large

evacuee

population on a long-term basis without substantial federal aid.

Temporary

housing solutions are beginning to create long-term problems for our

state.

The Texas Apartment Association is today announcing that the eviction of

15,000 people displaced by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita is imminent,

because

no rent has been paid for three months or serious lease violations have

occurred. An additional 50,000 evacuees could face eviction next month -

and

these figures only represent the segment of evacuees who chose

apartments as

their temporary home. The inability to provide evacuees with long-term

stability is a crucial issue that the federal government must resolve

quickly, because it poses significant issues for our communities

concerning

how to handle thousands of individuals who suddenly find themselves

homeless

once again.

Third, when we met earlier this month, it was my understanding that

Deputy

Secretary denied extensions for FY04 and FY05 homeland

security grants, but authorized a six-month extension for the FY03

grants

that Texas had requested. However, in an October 21, 2005, letter to

Texas

Homeland Security Director Steve McCraw, the Office for Domestic

Preparedness stated that FY03 grant extensions were contingent upon a

detailed letter of justification and are not guaranteed for approval.

While

I understand that a case-by-case approach is better suited to FY04 and

FY05

grant extensions, I request your full support of a blanket extension for

FY03 grants in Texas. Without a grant extension, local jurisdictions

will be

delayed in achieving your national homeland security priorities that are

critical for disaster response and recovery, including radio

interoperability, information sharing and collaboration capabilities,

and

continuity of government.

Finally, FEMA's failure to swiftly assist Texas in identifying Katrina

sex

offenders and violent criminals, as well as parolees and probationers

who

are subject to supervision, continues to jeopardize the safety of Texans

and

other Katrina evacuees. It is essential that we do everything we can to

identify criminal evacuees now residing in Texas. While I was pleased to

learn on October 31 that the Security Division of FEMA has agreed to

check

the names of Louisiana sex offenders against the list of registered

evacuees

in our state, Texas made that request weeks earlier and had even

supplied

the names on October 16. We need this information provided to us in an

expeditious manner to ensure the safety of the evacuee population and

communities that have welcomed them. I look forward to the same

cooperation

in the near future when Texas requests a similar security check with the

list of Louisiana parolees and offenders serving probations.

Again, I appreciate your time and request your expeditious assistance in

resolving the issues I have outlined in this letter. If you need

additional

information, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

Rick

Governor of Texas

[Guest guest]

http://www.kbtv4.tv/news/default.asp?mode=shownews

<http://www.kbtv4.tv/news/default.asp?mode=shownews & id=9707> & id=9707

_____

From: [mailto: ] On

Behalf Of Crosby, E

Sent: Tuesday, November 01, 2005 11:11 PM

To:

Subject: RE: F*E*M*A*

I was wondering where the letter came from. I want to forward it to a

radio talk show host, but I don't want to give it to the guy without

attribution. I'm also thinking of doing the same on some of the EMS

issues to see about trying to get EMS a little positive attention.

Thanks in advance

Crosby

EMT-B

F*E*M*A*

Governor Rick sent the following letter to Homeland Security

Director

Chertoff outlining the difficulties Texas is experiencing with

the

Federal Emergency Management Agency.

November 1, 2005

The Honorable Chertoff

Secretary of Homeland Security

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Washington, D.C. 20528

Dear Secretary Chertoff:

I appreciate our recent opportunity to have a candid discussion about

the

unique homeland security challenges facing our state. It is in that same

spirit of candor that I write to you today concerning serious problems

in

Texas' recovery efforts following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. My

concern is

that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has engaged in

inconsistent and disparate treatment of Texas on several important

fronts. I

am very concerned that state and local leaders are getting conflicting

instructions from FEMA, that tens of thousands of Katrina evacuees will

soon

be evicted with no place to go, because of poor planning for long-term

housing, that we have yet to receive information from FEMA identifying

sex

offenders and violent criminals among the Katrina evacuees, and that our

victims of Rita are being treated differently from the Louisiana victims

of

Rita. As you know, natural disasters recognize no state boundaries, and

neither should FEMA.

Last month, I asked FEMA to extend the federal government's agreement to

pay

100 percent of costs for debris removal and emergency protective

measures in

affected Texas counties for another 60 days to allow sufficient time to

clean up from the devastating effects of Hurricane Rita. FEMA denied

this

request, stating that " the severity and magnitude of the impacts did not

warrant " an extension. That decision means Texas counties face paying 25

percent of the clean-up costs. I promptly appealed this decision in a

letter

to President Bush today that requested full reimbursement for a minimum

of

30 additional days. I request your support of this common-sense appeal.

The rural counties of East Texas were shouldering a heavy burden from

Hurricane Katrina when Rita made landfall. Rita was not an ordinary

disaster

because of the very fact that many Texas communities were inundated with

the

great human needs of Katrina evacuees when the second storm made

landfall.

The budgets of sparsely populated jurisdictions have limited

flexibility,

and these consecutive disasters have stretched them so thinly that

funding

for other basic services is affected.

Further, the original debris removal reimbursement structure was based

on an

Army Corps of Engineers estimate of debris amounts in affected counties;

actual debris amounts exceed this estimate by more than 50 percent. At

the

same time Texas' extension was denied, however, FEMA approved a

Louisiana

request for a 30-day extension of its emergency declaration, agreeing to

pay

90 percent of the costs for Louisianans. Texas should be afforded the

same

reimbursement structure as our Louisiana neighbors. In fact,

inconsistent

and shifting FEMA reimbursement policies for cities and counties create

difficulties for local jurisdictions, and I urge you to comprehensively

address this challenge.

I also want to urge you once again to enact a housing program that gives

families and individuals displaced by Hurricane Katrina the leverage to

secure a long-term residence in their home state of Louisiana, or the

location of their choice. Texas has compassionately provided for the

needs

of more than 400,000 Katrina evacuees who sought refuge after the

disaster.

However, our communities cannot be expected to support such a large

evacuee

population on a long-term basis without substantial federal aid.

Temporary

housing solutions are beginning to create long-term problems for our

state.

The Texas Apartment Association is today announcing that the eviction of

15,000 people displaced by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita is imminent,

because

no rent has been paid for three months or serious lease violations have

occurred. An additional 50,000 evacuees could face eviction next month -

and

these figures only represent the segment of evacuees who chose

apartments as

their temporary home. The inability to provide evacuees with long-term

stability is a crucial issue that the federal government must resolve

quickly, because it poses significant issues for our communities

concerning

how to handle thousands of individuals who suddenly find themselves

homeless

once again.

Third, when we met earlier this month, it was my understanding that

Deputy

Secretary denied extensions for FY04 and FY05 homeland

security grants, but authorized a six-month extension for the FY03

grants

that Texas had requested. However, in an October 21, 2005, letter to

Texas

Homeland Security Director Steve McCraw, the Office for Domestic

Preparedness stated that FY03 grant extensions were contingent upon a

detailed letter of justification and are not guaranteed for approval.

While

I understand that a case-by-case approach is better suited to FY04 and

FY05

grant extensions, I request your full support of a blanket extension for

FY03 grants in Texas. Without a grant extension, local jurisdictions

will be

delayed in achieving your national homeland security priorities that are

critical for disaster response and recovery, including radio

interoperability, information sharing and collaboration capabilities,

and

continuity of government.

Finally, FEMA's failure to swiftly assist Texas in identifying Katrina

sex

offenders and violent criminals, as well as parolees and probationers

who

are subject to supervision, continues to jeopardize the safety of Texans

and

other Katrina evacuees. It is essential that we do everything we can to

identify criminal evacuees now residing in Texas. While I was pleased to

learn on October 31 that the Security Division of FEMA has agreed to

check

the names of Louisiana sex offenders against the list of registered

evacuees

in our state, Texas made that request weeks earlier and had even

supplied

the names on October 16. We need this information provided to us in an

expeditious manner to ensure the safety of the evacuee population and

communities that have welcomed them. I look forward to the same

cooperation

in the near future when Texas requests a similar security check with the

list of Louisiana parolees and offenders serving probations.

Again, I appreciate your time and request your expeditious assistance in

resolving the issues I have outlined in this letter. If you need

additional

information, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

Rick

Governor of Texas

[Guest guest]

http://www.kbtv4.tv/news/default.asp?mode=shownews

<http://www.kbtv4.tv/news/default.asp?mode=shownews & id=9707> & id=9707

_____

From: [mailto: ] On

Behalf Of Crosby, E

Sent: Tuesday, November 01, 2005 11:11 PM

To:

Subject: RE: F*E*M*A*

I was wondering where the letter came from. I want to forward it to a

radio talk show host, but I don't want to give it to the guy without

attribution. I'm also thinking of doing the same on some of the EMS

issues to see about trying to get EMS a little positive attention.

Thanks in advance

Crosby

EMT-B

F*E*M*A*

Governor Rick sent the following letter to Homeland Security

Director

Chertoff outlining the difficulties Texas is experiencing with

the

Federal Emergency Management Agency.

November 1, 2005

The Honorable Chertoff

Secretary of Homeland Security

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Washington, D.C. 20528

Dear Secretary Chertoff:

I appreciate our recent opportunity to have a candid discussion about

the

unique homeland security challenges facing our state. It is in that same

spirit of candor that I write to you today concerning serious problems

in

Texas' recovery efforts following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. My

concern is

that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has engaged in

inconsistent and disparate treatment of Texas on several important

fronts. I

am very concerned that state and local leaders are getting conflicting

instructions from FEMA, that tens of thousands of Katrina evacuees will

soon

be evicted with no place to go, because of poor planning for long-term

housing, that we have yet to receive information from FEMA identifying

sex

offenders and violent criminals among the Katrina evacuees, and that our

victims of Rita are being treated differently from the Louisiana victims

of

Rita. As you know, natural disasters recognize no state boundaries, and

neither should FEMA.

Last month, I asked FEMA to extend the federal government's agreement to

pay

100 percent of costs for debris removal and emergency protective

measures in

affected Texas counties for another 60 days to allow sufficient time to

clean up from the devastating effects of Hurricane Rita. FEMA denied

this

request, stating that " the severity and magnitude of the impacts did not

warrant " an extension. That decision means Texas counties face paying 25

percent of the clean-up costs. I promptly appealed this decision in a

letter

to President Bush today that requested full reimbursement for a minimum

of

30 additional days. I request your support of this common-sense appeal.

The rural counties of East Texas were shouldering a heavy burden from

Hurricane Katrina when Rita made landfall. Rita was not an ordinary

disaster

because of the very fact that many Texas communities were inundated with

the

great human needs of Katrina evacuees when the second storm made

landfall.

The budgets of sparsely populated jurisdictions have limited

flexibility,

and these consecutive disasters have stretched them so thinly that

funding

for other basic services is affected.

Further, the original debris removal reimbursement structure was based

on an

Army Corps of Engineers estimate of debris amounts in affected counties;

actual debris amounts exceed this estimate by more than 50 percent. At

the

same time Texas' extension was denied, however, FEMA approved a

Louisiana

request for a 30-day extension of its emergency declaration, agreeing to

pay

90 percent of the costs for Louisianans. Texas should be afforded the

same

reimbursement structure as our Louisiana neighbors. In fact,

inconsistent

and shifting FEMA reimbursement policies for cities and counties create

difficulties for local jurisdictions, and I urge you to comprehensively

address this challenge.

I also want to urge you once again to enact a housing program that gives

families and individuals displaced by Hurricane Katrina the leverage to

secure a long-term residence in their home state of Louisiana, or the

location of their choice. Texas has compassionately provided for the

needs

of more than 400,000 Katrina evacuees who sought refuge after the

disaster.

However, our communities cannot be expected to support such a large

evacuee

population on a long-term basis without substantial federal aid.

Temporary

housing solutions are beginning to create long-term problems for our

state.

The Texas Apartment Association is today announcing that the eviction of

15,000 people displaced by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita is imminent,

because

no rent has been paid for three months or serious lease violations have

occurred. An additional 50,000 evacuees could face eviction next month -

and

these figures only represent the segment of evacuees who chose

apartments as

their temporary home. The inability to provide evacuees with long-term

stability is a crucial issue that the federal government must resolve

quickly, because it poses significant issues for our communities

concerning

how to handle thousands of individuals who suddenly find themselves

homeless

once again.

Third, when we met earlier this month, it was my understanding that

Deputy

Secretary denied extensions for FY04 and FY05 homeland

security grants, but authorized a six-month extension for the FY03

grants

that Texas had requested. However, in an October 21, 2005, letter to

Texas

Homeland Security Director Steve McCraw, the Office for Domestic

Preparedness stated that FY03 grant extensions were contingent upon a

detailed letter of justification and are not guaranteed for approval.

While

I understand that a case-by-case approach is better suited to FY04 and

FY05

grant extensions, I request your full support of a blanket extension for

FY03 grants in Texas. Without a grant extension, local jurisdictions

will be

delayed in achieving your national homeland security priorities that are

critical for disaster response and recovery, including radio

interoperability, information sharing and collaboration capabilities,

and

continuity of government.

Finally, FEMA's failure to swiftly assist Texas in identifying Katrina

sex

offenders and violent criminals, as well as parolees and probationers

who

are subject to supervision, continues to jeopardize the safety of Texans

and

other Katrina evacuees. It is essential that we do everything we can to

identify criminal evacuees now residing in Texas. While I was pleased to

learn on October 31 that the Security Division of FEMA has agreed to

check

the names of Louisiana sex offenders against the list of registered

evacuees

in our state, Texas made that request weeks earlier and had even

supplied

the names on October 16. We need this information provided to us in an

expeditious manner to ensure the safety of the evacuee population and

communities that have welcomed them. I look forward to the same

cooperation

in the near future when Texas requests a similar security check with the

list of Louisiana parolees and offenders serving probations.

Again, I appreciate your time and request your expeditious assistance in

resolving the issues I have outlined in this letter. If you need

additional

information, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

Rick

Governor of Texas

[Guest guest]

http://www.kbtv4.tv/news/default.asp?mode=shownews

<http://www.kbtv4.tv/news/default.asp?mode=shownews & id=9707> & id=9707

_____

From: [mailto: ] On

Behalf Of Crosby, E

Sent: Tuesday, November 01, 2005 11:11 PM

To:

Subject: RE: F*E*M*A*

I was wondering where the letter came from. I want to forward it to a

radio talk show host, but I don't want to give it to the guy without

attribution. I'm also thinking of doing the same on some of the EMS

issues to see about trying to get EMS a little positive attention.

Thanks in advance

Crosby

EMT-B

F*E*M*A*

Governor Rick sent the following letter to Homeland Security

Director

Chertoff outlining the difficulties Texas is experiencing with

the

Federal Emergency Management Agency.

November 1, 2005

The Honorable Chertoff

Secretary of Homeland Security

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Washington, D.C. 20528

Dear Secretary Chertoff:

I appreciate our recent opportunity to have a candid discussion about

the

unique homeland security challenges facing our state. It is in that same

spirit of candor that I write to you today concerning serious problems

in

Texas' recovery efforts following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. My

concern is

that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has engaged in

inconsistent and disparate treatment of Texas on several important

fronts. I

am very concerned that state and local leaders are getting conflicting

instructions from FEMA, that tens of thousands of Katrina evacuees will

soon

be evicted with no place to go, because of poor planning for long-term

housing, that we have yet to receive information from FEMA identifying

sex

offenders and violent criminals among the Katrina evacuees, and that our

victims of Rita are being treated differently from the Louisiana victims

of

Rita. As you know, natural disasters recognize no state boundaries, and

neither should FEMA.

Last month, I asked FEMA to extend the federal government's agreement to

pay

100 percent of costs for debris removal and emergency protective

measures in

affected Texas counties for another 60 days to allow sufficient time to

clean up from the devastating effects of Hurricane Rita. FEMA denied

this

request, stating that " the severity and magnitude of the impacts did not

warrant " an extension. That decision means Texas counties face paying 25

percent of the clean-up costs. I promptly appealed this decision in a

letter

to President Bush today that requested full reimbursement for a minimum

of

30 additional days. I request your support of this common-sense appeal.

The rural counties of East Texas were shouldering a heavy burden from

Hurricane Katrina when Rita made landfall. Rita was not an ordinary

disaster

because of the very fact that many Texas communities were inundated with

the

great human needs of Katrina evacuees when the second storm made

landfall.

The budgets of sparsely populated jurisdictions have limited

flexibility,

and these consecutive disasters have stretched them so thinly that

funding

for other basic services is affected.

Further, the original debris removal reimbursement structure was based

on an

Army Corps of Engineers estimate of debris amounts in affected counties;

actual debris amounts exceed this estimate by more than 50 percent. At

the

same time Texas' extension was denied, however, FEMA approved a

Louisiana

request for a 30-day extension of its emergency declaration, agreeing to

pay

90 percent of the costs for Louisianans. Texas should be afforded the

same

reimbursement structure as our Louisiana neighbors. In fact,

inconsistent

and shifting FEMA reimbursement policies for cities and counties create

difficulties for local jurisdictions, and I urge you to comprehensively

address this challenge.

I also want to urge you once again to enact a housing program that gives

families and individuals displaced by Hurricane Katrina the leverage to

secure a long-term residence in their home state of Louisiana, or the

location of their choice. Texas has compassionately provided for the

needs

of more than 400,000 Katrina evacuees who sought refuge after the

disaster.

However, our communities cannot be expected to support such a large

evacuee

population on a long-term basis without substantial federal aid.

Temporary

housing solutions are beginning to create long-term problems for our

state.

The Texas Apartment Association is today announcing that the eviction of

15,000 people displaced by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita is imminent,

because

no rent has been paid for three months or serious lease violations have

occurred. An additional 50,000 evacuees could face eviction next month -

and

these figures only represent the segment of evacuees who chose

apartments as

their temporary home. The inability to provide evacuees with long-term

stability is a crucial issue that the federal government must resolve

quickly, because it poses significant issues for our communities

concerning

how to handle thousands of individuals who suddenly find themselves

homeless

once again.

Third, when we met earlier this month, it was my understanding that

Deputy

Secretary denied extensions for FY04 and FY05 homeland

security grants, but authorized a six-month extension for the FY03

grants

that Texas had requested. However, in an October 21, 2005, letter to

Texas

Homeland Security Director Steve McCraw, the Office for Domestic

Preparedness stated that FY03 grant extensions were contingent upon a

detailed letter of justification and are not guaranteed for approval.

While

I understand that a case-by-case approach is better suited to FY04 and

FY05

grant extensions, I request your full support of a blanket extension for

FY03 grants in Texas. Without a grant extension, local jurisdictions

will be

delayed in achieving your national homeland security priorities that are

critical for disaster response and recovery, including radio

interoperability, information sharing and collaboration capabilities,

and

continuity of government.

Finally, FEMA's failure to swiftly assist Texas in identifying Katrina

sex

offenders and violent criminals, as well as parolees and probationers

who

are subject to supervision, continues to jeopardize the safety of Texans

and

other Katrina evacuees. It is essential that we do everything we can to

identify criminal evacuees now residing in Texas. While I was pleased to

learn on October 31 that the Security Division of FEMA has agreed to

check

the names of Louisiana sex offenders against the list of registered

evacuees

in our state, Texas made that request weeks earlier and had even

supplied

the names on October 16. We need this information provided to us in an

expeditious manner to ensure the safety of the evacuee population and

communities that have welcomed them. I look forward to the same

cooperation

in the near future when Texas requests a similar security check with the

list of Louisiana parolees and offenders serving probations.

Again, I appreciate your time and request your expeditious assistance in

resolving the issues I have outlined in this letter. If you need

additional

information, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

Rick

Governor of Texas

[Guest guest]

My aunt said she read a summary about the letter in the paper, but she had not

seen the letter. She was concerned because she has a friend in the Houston area

whose house was totally destroyed - she lost everything - and she has received

no aid and is told there will be none.

Jane HIll

--------- F*E*M*A*

Governor Rick sent the following letter to Homeland Security

Director

Chertoff outlining the difficulties Texas is experiencing with

the

Federal Emergency Management Agency.

November 1, 2005

The Honorable Chertoff

Secretary of Homeland Security

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Washington, D.C. 20528

Dear Secretary Chertoff:

I appreciate our recent opportunity to have a candid discussion about

the

unique homeland security challenges facing our state. It is in that same

spirit of candor that I write to you today concerning serious problems

in

Texas' recovery efforts following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. My

concern is

that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has engaged in

inconsistent and disparate treatment of Texas on several important

fronts. I

am very concerned that state and local leaders are getting conflicting

instructions from FEMA, that tens of thousands of Katrina evacuees will

soon

be evicted with no place to go, because of poor planning for long-term

housing, that we have yet to receive information from FEMA identifying

sex

offenders and violent criminals among the Katrina evacuees, and that our

victims of Rita are being treated differently from the Louisiana victims

of

Rita. As you know, natural disasters recognize no state boundaries, and

neither should FEMA.

Last month, I asked FEMA to extend the federal government's agreement to

pay

100 percent of costs for debris removal and emergency protective

measures in

affected Texas counties for another 60 days to allow sufficient time to

clean up from the devastating effects of Hurricane Rita. FEMA denied

this

request, stating that " the severity and magnitude of the impacts did not

warrant " an extension. That decision means Texas counties face paying 25

percent of the clean-up costs. I promptly appealed this decision in a

letter

to President Bush today that requested full reimbursement for a minimum

of

30 additional days. I request your support of this common-sense appeal.

The rural counties of East Texas were shouldering a heavy burden from

Hurricane Katrina when Rita made landfall. Rita was not an ordinary

disaster

because of the very fact that many Texas communities were inundated with

the

great human needs of Katrina evacuees when the second storm made

landfall.

The budgets of sparsely populated jurisdictions have limited

flexibility,

and these consecutive disasters have stretched them so thinly that

funding

for other basic services is affected.

Further, the original debris removal reimbursement structure was based

on an

Army Corps of Engineers estimate of debris amounts in affected counties;

actual debris amounts exceed this estimate by more than 50 percent. At

the

same time Texas' extension was denied, however, FEMA approved a

Louisiana

request for a 30-day extension of its emergency declaration, agreeing to

pay

90 percent of the costs for Louisianans. Texas should be afforded the

same

reimbursement structure as our Louisiana neighbors. In fact,

inconsistent

and shifting FEMA reimbursement policies for cities and counties create

difficulties for local jurisdictions, and I urge you to comprehensively

address this challenge.

I also want to urge you once again to enact a housing program that gives

families and individuals displaced by Hurricane Katrina the leverage to

secure a long-term residence in their home state of Louisiana, or the

location of their choice. Texas has compassionately provided for the

needs

of more than 400,000 Katrina evacuees who sought refuge after the

disaster.

However, our communities cannot be expected to support such a large

evacuee

population on a long-term basis without substantial federal aid.

Temporary

housing solutions are beginning to create long-term problems for our

state.

The Texas Apartment Association is today announcing that the eviction of

15,000 people displaced by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita is imminent,

because

no rent has been paid for three months or serious lease violations have

occurred. An additional 50,000 evacuees could face eviction next month -

and

these figures only represent the segment of evacuees who chose

apartments as

their temporary home. The inability to provide evacuees with long-term

stability is a crucial issue that the federal government must resolve

quickly, because it poses significant issues for our communities

concerning

how to handle thousands of individuals who suddenly find themselves

homeless

once again.

Third, when we met earlier this month, it was my understanding that

Deputy

Secretary denied extensions for FY04 and FY05 homeland

security grants, but authorized a six-month extension for the FY03

grants

that Texas had requested. However, in an October 21, 2005, letter to

Texas

Homeland Security Director Steve McCraw, the Office for Domestic

Preparedness stated that FY03 grant extensions were contingent upon a

detailed letter of justification and are not guaranteed for approval.

While

I understand that a case-by-case approach is better suited to FY04 and

FY05

grant extensions, I request your full support of a blanket extension for

FY03 grants in Texas. Without a grant extension, local jurisdictions

will be

delayed in achieving your national homeland security priorities that are

critical for disaster response and recovery, including radio

interoperability, information sharing and collaboration capabilities,

and

continuity of government.

Finally, FEMA's failure to swiftly assist Texas in identifying Katrina

sex

offenders and violent criminals, as well as parolees and probationers

who

are subject to supervision, continues to jeopardize the safety of Texans

and

other Katrina evacuees. It is essential that we do everything we can to

identify criminal evacuees now residing in Texas. While I was pleased to

learn on October 31 that the Security Division of FEMA has agreed to

check

the names of Louisiana sex offenders against the list of registered

evacuees

in our state, Texas made that request weeks earlier and had even

supplied

the names on October 16. We need this information provided to us in an

expeditious manner to ensure the safety of the evacuee population and

communities that have welcomed them. I look forward to the same

cooperation

in the near future when Texas requests a similar security check with the

list of Louisiana parolees and offenders serving probations.

Again, I appreciate your time and request your expeditious assistance in

resolving the issues I have outlined in this letter. If you need

additional

information, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

Rick

Governor of Texas

[Guest guest]

My aunt said she read a summary about the letter in the paper, but she had not

seen the letter. She was concerned because she has a friend in the Houston area

whose house was totally destroyed - she lost everything - and she has received

no aid and is told there will be none.

Jane HIll

--------- F*E*M*A*

Governor Rick sent the following letter to Homeland Security

Director

Chertoff outlining the difficulties Texas is experiencing with

the

Federal Emergency Management Agency.

November 1, 2005

The Honorable Chertoff

Secretary of Homeland Security

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Washington, D.C. 20528

Dear Secretary Chertoff:

I appreciate our recent opportunity to have a candid discussion about

the

unique homeland security challenges facing our state. It is in that same

spirit of candor that I write to you today concerning serious problems

in

Texas' recovery efforts following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. My

concern is

that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has engaged in

inconsistent and disparate treatment of Texas on several important

fronts. I

am very concerned that state and local leaders are getting conflicting

instructions from FEMA, that tens of thousands of Katrina evacuees will

soon

be evicted with no place to go, because of poor planning for long-term

housing, that we have yet to receive information from FEMA identifying

sex

offenders and violent criminals among the Katrina evacuees, and that our

victims of Rita are being treated differently from the Louisiana victims

of

Rita. As you know, natural disasters recognize no state boundaries, and

neither should FEMA.

Last month, I asked FEMA to extend the federal government's agreement to

pay

100 percent of costs for debris removal and emergency protective

measures in

affected Texas counties for another 60 days to allow sufficient time to

clean up from the devastating effects of Hurricane Rita. FEMA denied

this

request, stating that " the severity and magnitude of the impacts did not

warrant " an extension. That decision means Texas counties face paying 25

percent of the clean-up costs. I promptly appealed this decision in a

letter

to President Bush today that requested full reimbursement for a minimum

of

30 additional days. I request your support of this common-sense appeal.

The rural counties of East Texas were shouldering a heavy burden from

Hurricane Katrina when Rita made landfall. Rita was not an ordinary

disaster

because of the very fact that many Texas communities were inundated with

the

great human needs of Katrina evacuees when the second storm made

landfall.

The budgets of sparsely populated jurisdictions have limited

flexibility,

and these consecutive disasters have stretched them so thinly that

funding

for other basic services is affected.

Further, the original debris removal reimbursement structure was based

on an

Army Corps of Engineers estimate of debris amounts in affected counties;

actual debris amounts exceed this estimate by more than 50 percent. At

the

same time Texas' extension was denied, however, FEMA approved a

Louisiana

request for a 30-day extension of its emergency declaration, agreeing to

pay

90 percent of the costs for Louisianans. Texas should be afforded the

same

reimbursement structure as our Louisiana neighbors. In fact,

inconsistent

and shifting FEMA reimbursement policies for cities and counties create

difficulties for local jurisdictions, and I urge you to comprehensively

address this challenge.

I also want to urge you once again to enact a housing program that gives

families and individuals displaced by Hurricane Katrina the leverage to

secure a long-term residence in their home state of Louisiana, or the

location of their choice. Texas has compassionately provided for the

needs

of more than 400,000 Katrina evacuees who sought refuge after the

disaster.

However, our communities cannot be expected to support such a large

evacuee

population on a long-term basis without substantial federal aid.

Temporary

housing solutions are beginning to create long-term problems for our

state.

The Texas Apartment Association is today announcing that the eviction of

15,000 people displaced by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita is imminent,

because

no rent has been paid for three months or serious lease violations have

occurred. An additional 50,000 evacuees could face eviction next month -

and

these figures only represent the segment of evacuees who chose

apartments as

their temporary home. The inability to provide evacuees with long-term

stability is a crucial issue that the federal government must resolve

quickly, because it poses significant issues for our communities

concerning

how to handle thousands of individuals who suddenly find themselves

homeless

once again.

Third, when we met earlier this month, it was my understanding that

Deputy

Secretary denied extensions for FY04 and FY05 homeland

security grants, but authorized a six-month extension for the FY03

grants

that Texas had requested. However, in an October 21, 2005, letter to

Texas

Homeland Security Director Steve McCraw, the Office for Domestic

Preparedness stated that FY03 grant extensions were contingent upon a

detailed letter of justification and are not guaranteed for approval.

While

I understand that a case-by-case approach is better suited to FY04 and

FY05

grant extensions, I request your full support of a blanket extension for

FY03 grants in Texas. Without a grant extension, local jurisdictions

will be

delayed in achieving your national homeland security priorities that are

critical for disaster response and recovery, including radio

interoperability, information sharing and collaboration capabilities,

and

continuity of government.

Finally, FEMA's failure to swiftly assist Texas in identifying Katrina

sex

offenders and violent criminals, as well as parolees and probationers

who

are subject to supervision, continues to jeopardize the safety of Texans

and

other Katrina evacuees. It is essential that we do everything we can to

identify criminal evacuees now residing in Texas. While I was pleased to

learn on October 31 that the Security Division of FEMA has agreed to

check

the names of Louisiana sex offenders against the list of registered

evacuees

in our state, Texas made that request weeks earlier and had even

supplied

the names on October 16. We need this information provided to us in an

expeditious manner to ensure the safety of the evacuee population and

communities that have welcomed them. I look forward to the same

cooperation

in the near future when Texas requests a similar security check with the

list of Louisiana parolees and offenders serving probations.

Again, I appreciate your time and request your expeditious assistance in

resolving the issues I have outlined in this letter. If you need

additional

information, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

Rick

Governor of Texas

[Guest guest]

the star has already sent a full bill to FEMA for all xports of displaced

patients. Our shelters are closed now so we will see what FEMA does.

Not only that my father is a resident of Gulfport, MS and had quite a bit of

damage to his roof but does not qualify for FEMA aid, what a joke.

F*E*M*A*

Governor Rick sent the following letter to Homeland Security Director

Chertoff outlining the difficulties Texas is experiencing with the

Federal Emergency Management Agency.

November 1, 2005

The Honorable Chertoff

Secretary of Homeland Security

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Washington, D.C. 20528

Dear Secretary Chertoff:

I appreciate our recent opportunity to have a candid discussion about the

unique homeland security challenges facing our state. It is in that same

spirit of candor that I write to you today concerning serious problems in

Texas' recovery efforts following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. My concern is

that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has engaged in

inconsistent and disparate treatment of Texas on several important fronts. I

am very concerned that state and local leaders are getting conflicting

instructions from FEMA, that tens of thousands of Katrina evacuees will soon

be evicted with no place to go, because of poor planning for long-term

housing, that we have yet to receive information from FEMA identifying sex

offenders and violent criminals among the Katrina evacuees, and that our

victims of Rita are being treated differently from the Louisiana victims of

Rita. As you know, natural disasters recognize no state boundaries, and

neither should FEMA.

Last month, I asked FEMA to extend the federal government's agreement to pay

100 percent of costs for debris removal and emergency protective measures in

affected Texas counties for another 60 days to allow sufficient time to

clean up from the devastating effects of Hurricane Rita. FEMA denied this

request, stating that " the severity and magnitude of the impacts did not

warrant " an extension. That decision means Texas counties face paying 25

percent of the clean-up costs. I promptly appealed this decision in a letter

to President Bush today that requested full reimbursement for a minimum of

30 additional days. I request your support of this common-sense appeal.

The rural counties of East Texas were shouldering a heavy burden from

Hurricane Katrina when Rita made landfall. Rita was not an ordinary disaster

because of the very fact that many Texas communities were inundated with the

great human needs of Katrina evacuees when the second storm made landfall.

The budgets of sparsely populated jurisdictions have limited flexibility,

and these consecutive disasters have stretched them so thinly that funding

for other basic services is affected.

Further, the original debris removal reimbursement structure was based on an

Army Corps of Engineers estimate of debris amounts in affected counties;

actual debris amounts exceed this estimate by more than 50 percent. At the

same time Texas' extension was denied, however, FEMA approved a Louisiana

request for a 30-day extension of its emergency declaration, agreeing to pay

90 percent of the costs for Louisianans. Texas should be afforded the same

reimbursement structure as our Louisiana neighbors. In fact, inconsistent

and shifting FEMA reimbursement policies for cities and counties create

difficulties for local jurisdictions, and I urge you to comprehensively

address this challenge.

I also want to urge you once again to enact a housing program that gives

families and individuals displaced by Hurricane Katrina the leverage to

secure a long-term residence in their home state of Louisiana, or the

location of their choice. Texas has compassionately provided for the needs

of more than 400,000 Katrina evacuees who sought refuge after the disaster.

However, our communities cannot be expected to support such a large evacuee

population on a long-term basis without substantial federal aid. Temporary

housing solutions are beginning to create long-term problems for our state.

The Texas Apartment Association is today announcing that the eviction of

15,000 people displaced by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita is imminent, because

no rent has been paid for three months or serious lease violations have

occurred. An additional 50,000 evacuees could face eviction next month - and

these figures only represent the segment of evacuees who chose apartments as

their temporary home. The inability to provide evacuees with long-term

stability is a crucial issue that the federal government must resolve

quickly, because it poses significant issues for our communities concerning

how to handle thousands of individuals who suddenly find themselves homeless

once again.

Third, when we met earlier this month, it was my understanding that Deputy

Secretary denied extensions for FY04 and FY05 homeland

security grants, but authorized a six-month extension for the FY03 grants

that Texas had requested. However, in an October 21, 2005, letter to Texas

Homeland Security Director Steve McCraw, the Office for Domestic

Preparedness stated that FY03 grant extensions were contingent upon a

detailed letter of justification and are not guaranteed for approval. While

I understand that a case-by-case approach is better suited to FY04 and FY05

grant extensions, I request your full support of a blanket extension for

FY03 grants in Texas. Without a grant extension, local jurisdictions will be

delayed in achieving your national homeland security priorities that are

critical for disaster response and recovery, including radio

interoperability, information sharing and collaboration capabilities, and

continuity of government.

Finally, FEMA's failure to swiftly assist Texas in identifying Katrina sex

offenders and violent criminals, as well as parolees and probationers who

are subject to supervision, continues to jeopardize the safety of Texans and

other Katrina evacuees. It is essential that we do everything we can to

identify criminal evacuees now residing in Texas. While I was pleased to

learn on October 31 that the Security Division of FEMA has agreed to check

the names of Louisiana sex offenders against the list of registered evacuees

in our state, Texas made that request weeks earlier and had even supplied

the names on October 16. We need this information provided to us in an

expeditious manner to ensure the safety of the evacuee population and

communities that have welcomed them. I look forward to the same cooperation

in the near future when Texas requests a similar security check with the

list of Louisiana parolees and offenders serving probations.

Again, I appreciate your time and request your expeditious assistance in

resolving the issues I have outlined in this letter. If you need additional

information, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

Rick

Governor of Texas