With Christie, Obama vows, ‘We will not quit until this is done’

[orphanedhawk]

Just six days before the election, President Barack Obama toured storm-ravaged areas with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie. He told Garden State residents struggling in the superstorm's aftermath that all of America shares their pain—and their government is there to help.

"The main message I wanted to send is the entire country has been watching what's been happening," Obama said Wednesday during a visit to the Brigantine Beach Community Center. "Everybody knows how hard Jersey's been hit."

("Except my boss," shouted Michael Henshaw, 32, a Brigantine resident who works at an insurance company. "Well, except your boss. If you need me to call, you let me know," Obama replied, drawing laughter from the room. That exchange, and many of the details in this post, are from pool reporter Reid Epstein of Politico.)

The White House told reporters that during the worst of the storm's devastation 200 people were sleeping in the center's gym, though that number has dropped to 50. The center still serves as a spot for people to get meals and take hot showers.

Obama traveled to New Jersey, which bore the brunt of the storm's wrath, with Federal Emergency Management Agency chief Craig Fugate. The president and Christie—an outspoken Mitt Romney backer—traded praise over the response to the devastating storm.

"I want to just let you know that your governor is working overtime to make sure that as soon as possible everybody can get back to normal," said Obama. "We are going to be here for the long haul. We're going to not tolerate any red tape. We're not going to tolerate any bureaucracy."

Christie, wearing a blue polar fleece jacket with "CHRIS CHRISTIE GOVERNOR" in white letters over his heart, echoed Obama's message.

"I just want to tell all of you exactly what the president just said. I know he means it," Christie said. "I want to thank the president for coming here today. It's really important to have the president of the United States acknowledge all the suffering that's going on here in New Jersey, and I appreciate it very much. We're going to work together to make sure we get ourselves through this crisis and get everything back to normal. Thank you for coming, sir."

Aides say the president is focused on doing his job, not on the election, but the governor's praise and the seemingly smooth federal response to the storm could help him in his neck-and-neck race with Romney.

Obama and Christie took an aerial tour of some of the destruction aboard the president's Marine One helicopter before the visit to Brigantine.

In brief public remarks afterward, the governor had said of the president, "He has sprung into action immediately to help. He has worked incredibly closely with me since before the storm hit.

"It's been a great working relationship to make sure that we're doing the jobs that people elected us to do, and I cannot thank the president enough for his personal concern and compassion for our state and the people of our state."

(He also joked about those who ignored his "admonition to get the hell out of here. You are forgiven this time, but not for much longer.")

Obama returned the praise, saying Christie had been "responsive" and "aggressive" even before "this incredible storm. ... The people of New Jersey recognize that he has put his heart and soul into making sure that the people of New Jersey bounce back even stronger than before. So I just want to thank him for his extraordinary leadership and partnership."

The president added that "because of some good preparation, the loss of life was kept lower than it might have been."

He then offered his "thoughts and prayers" to those who lost loved ones. "I speak for the whole country," he said.

Both men cited the urgent need to restore power to the vast areas that lost it during the storm.

Obama, who canceled campaign events on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday to take charge of the federal response, said he had instituted a "15-minute rule" for returning telephone calls from governors and mayors. "If they need something, we'll figure out a way to say 'yes,'" the president said.

"We will not quit until this is done," he promised.

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/christie-obama-vows-not-quit-until-done-214410192--election.html

[R Glass]

OK, Found the right thread,
“Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize, and provide at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency. Emergency protective measures, limited to direct federal assistance, will be provided at 75 percent federal funding.”

Where was FEMA at? They sure as hell wasn’t here Evacuating people. I guess his plan of action was to let the People Die, until they “identify, mobilize, and provide at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency.”

[teko]

So obviously you were not denied help, just didn't get everything requested? Am I right? And what was the presidents response to this second letter? I thought you guys wanted the states to do everything they could do before depending on Federal aide? No?

But to say that obama denied aide during this hurricane, is plainly wrong, what you are complaining about is in effect, the amount of help you received? Am I correct?

You said:

Just a few weeks ago we were hit with a Category 1 Hurricane and asked for assistance and was denied by Obama.

I reiterate:

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August  27, 2012

President Obama Signs Louisiana Emergency Declaration

                                                                                                                                                        
The President today declared an emergency exists in the State of Louisiana and ordered federal aid to supplement state and local response efforts due to the emergency conditions resulting from Tropical Storm Isaac beginning on August 26, 2012, and continuing.
The President's action authorizes the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to coordinate all disaster relief efforts which have the purpose of alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population, and to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures, authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act, to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in the parishes of Ascension, Assumption, Jefferson, Lafourche, Livingston, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. James, St. John, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, and Washington.

Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize, and provide at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency.  Emergency protective measures, limited to direct federal assistance, will be provided at 75 percent federal funding.

W. Craig Fugate, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Homeland Security, named Gerard M. Stolar as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area.

Obviously help was given, so how much you got and how much you feel you should have gotten is the real issue.

[R Glass]

"In a release issued by the White House today, it said “the declaration builds on resources already deployed by FEMA and makes Federal funding available for certain emergency activities undertaken by the state to prepare for and respond to the storm.” Unfortunately, your limited declaration does not provide for reimbursement of expenses that the state is taking to prepare for the storm.
As of 5 p.m. Central time today, the National Weather Service forecasts this storm to strengthen to a Category 2 hurricane and squarely impact the State of Louisiana. The increased urgency of the situation necessitates that we re-emphasize the request for full federal assistance for the State. "

[R Glass]

President Obama denies full disaster declaration to Gov. Jindal
August 27, 2012 · by Baton Rouge Business Journal · in Baton Rouge Weather, Heads-Up & Watch Out!, News Baton Rouge
BATON ROUGE – Following a very limited federal disaster declaration by the President of the United States that only granted a portion of the state’s request, Governor Bobby Jindal sent a letter to the federal government requesting a full disaster declaration for the state.
The White House issued a release today which states that “the declaration builds on resources already deployed by FEMA and makes Federal funding available for certain emergency activities undertaken by the state to prepare for and respond to the storm.” However, the limited declaration does not provide for reimbursement of expenses that the state is taking to prepare for the storm.
Below is the Governor’s letter to the federal government:
August 27, 2012
The Honorable Barack Obama
President of the United States
The White House
Washington, D. C.
Through: Mr. Tony Robinson
Regional Administrator
FEMA Region VI
800 North Loop 288
Denton, TX 76209-3698
Dear Mr. President:
I have received your approval of a limited federal declaration of emergency for Tropical Storm Isaac for the State of Louisiana. We appreciate your response to our request and your approval. However, the State’s original request for federal assistance dated August 26, 2012 included a request for reimbursement for all emergency protective measures. The federal declaration of emergency only provides for direct federal assistance.
In a release issued by the White House today, it said “the declaration builds on resources already deployed by FEMA and makes Federal funding available for certain emergency activities undertaken by the state to prepare for and respond to the storm.” Unfortunately, your limited declaration does not provide for reimbursement of expenses that the state is taking to prepare for the storm.
As of 5 p.m. Central time today, the National Weather Service forecasts this storm to strengthen to a Category 2 hurricane and squarely impact the State of Louisiana. The increased urgency of the situation necessitates that we re-emphasize the request for full federal assistance for the State.
The projected path of the storm has continued to shift westward and now threatens the entire State of Louisiana. The rapidity of the path’s westward movement has increased the potential impact of this storm from a slight chance of affecting southeastern Louisiana to now threatening the entire state. The speed with which this threat developed has necessitated extraordinary emergency protective measures at the State and local government level.
Since the State of Louisiana is faced with a rapidly developing situation that threatens a large percentage of our population, please consider the following developments as a supplement to the request submitted yesterday.
At this time 34 parishes have declared a state of emergency:
Acadia, Allen, Ascension, Assumption, Avoyelles, Cameron, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Franklin, Iberia, Iberville, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Lafourche, Livingston, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Orleans, Ouachita, Plaquemines, Pointe Coupee, Rapides, St Bernard, St Charles, St Helena, St James, St John, St Martin, St Mary, St Tammany, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, Washington, West Baton Rouge.
We request that you expand the designations to include all of these parishes. We expect more parishes to declare a state of emergency.
There are currently 9 areas covered by mandatory evacuation orders:
Jefferson – Grand Isle
Jefferson –Town of Jean Lafitte
Jefferson – Crown Pointe
Jefferson – Barataria
Lafourche – Low lying parishes
Plaquemines – From Braithwaite to White Ditch on the East Bank
Plaquemines – From Ironton South to Venice
St Charles – Parish Wide Evacuation
Tangipahoa – Town of Winnsboro, Lee’s Landing, and low-lying areas
As of this morning, I have activated 4,126 Louisiana National Guardsmen, an emergency contract for over 300 commercial buses, and over 5,000 shelter spaces to respond to the wide ranging projected path of this storm, move our citizens out of harm’s way and provide them with shelter. The school districts in the path of the storm have cancelled school until this dangerous storm passes.
All of these actions are appropriate and necessary responses to the threat of this storm. While Tropical Storm Isaac has yet to strike the state, it has necessitated significant amounts of State and local government expenditures. The State’s expenditures for emergency protective measures are already approximately $8,000,000 and exceed the State of Louisiana’s threshold when making a request for a major disaster declaration.
Given the extraordinary developments of this storm and its approaching impact on the State of Louisiana, I ask that you exercise your discretion to approve the State’s pending request for all emergency protective measures. Further, I ask that you consider a cost-share adjustment to eliminate the State’s non-federal share of the costs for this event. When threatened with extraordinary disasters, states depend upon the availability of the full spectrum of assistance available under the Stafford Act.
Finally, a core responsibility of the federal government is to protect the lives and property of its citizens when threatened. This disaster declaration will help ensure that we best protect life and property in our state.
Sincerely,
Bobby Jindal
Governor
http://batonrougebusinessjournal.com/2012/08/27/president-obama-denies-full-disaster-declaration-to-gov-jindal/

[teko]

I would only add that it is the republicans that went on this tirade of states not getting federal aid, granting any help unless there was a plan in place to pay for it? Lets not forget that little tidbit there now......

[teko]

And here elmo, is the rest of the story.

White House Press Secretary Jay Carney says the Obama administration has granted all of Texas' requests for fire management assistance grants

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En route to El Paso with President Barack Obama on May 10, White House press secretary Jay Carney jumped on a reporter’s question about whether the administration’s denial of a disaster declaration for Texas was politically motivated.

In an April 16 letter to Obama, Gov. Rick Perry requested a "major disaster declaration" as a result of wildfires that have burned through the state. The request sought federal aid to be reimbursed up to 75 percent of firefighting costs already expended and to help the state fight burning fires in 252 of the state’s 254 counties, including Travis.

On May 3, the Federal Emergency Management Agency rejected the request after concluding that recovery needs did not exceed what state and local governments could handle, according to a May 4 Star-Telegram news article.

Besides, Carney told reporters, "this administration has been extremely responsive to the state of Texas’ requests for wildfire management assisting grants — 25 of them at last count," he said. "All that have been requested had been, as far as I know it, have been provided."

Indeed, the state has received 27 grants requested in connection with 27 wildfires that burned about 1 million acres in 31 counties. The grants cover 75 percent of the firefighting costs associated with the 27 fires. FEMA spokeswoman Rachel Racusen later told us the grants factored into the agency’s denial of the request for the disaster declaration because they "fund many of the same emergency response activities Gov. Perry was seeking assistance for."  

Separately, some affected Texas residents are eligible for other federal help, including low-interest loans and assistance to ranchers and farmers who lost livestock in the fires.

Texas Forest Service spokeswoman April Saginor told us that from Sept. 1 through May 15, local fire departments and the state spent about $97.5 million on wildfires. Of that, the state has pitched in $90.8 million, and expects to be reimbursed about $23 million from the 27 approved federal grants to date.

Perry isn’t placated. During an interview on NewsRadio 1080 KRLD on May 11, Perry said: "We've had over 9,000 different fires in the state of Texas, 2.3 million acres burned. If that doesn't rise to the level of a major emergency I don't know what does."

As of May 16, according to the service, 10,123 Texas fires burned nearly 2.6 million acres in 237 counties.

On May 26, Perry appealed the Obama administration's decision to deny the declaration.

But this isn’t the first time the federal government hasn’t granted Texas’ aid requests. We found that it has gone both ways on fire-related requests for disaster declarations from Texas.

— In February 2009, according to FEMA, the Obama administration denied a Perry request for an emergency declaration for wildfires, and his subsequent request for a major disaster declaration. According to an April 2009 Abilene Reporter News article, Perry requested the declaration after wildfires burned through 400,000 acres, destroying 200 homes.

— In 2008, the Bush administration denied Perry’s request for a major disaster declaration due to wildfires that had burned, according to Perry’s office, nearly 940,000 acres in 215 counties, the San Antonio Express-News reported March 20, 2008. The reason: "We just didn’t see that the state’s capacity to respond was overwhelmed," said FEMA spokesman Earl Armstrong, according to the Express-News article.

After the state appealed the rejection, the government granted a emergency disaster declaration, which is more limited in scope and doesn’t have the long-term federal recovery programs that can come with a major disaster declaration. Texas also received fire management assistance grants for 22 fires that year, according to FEMA.

— In January 2006, President Bush issued a major disaster declaration after at least 450 fires, blamed largely on a long drought, burned across north and west Texas. At the time, Perry wrote the federal government: "Based on these extreme conditions, the magnitude of response required is beyond the resources and capabilities of the state and the affected local governments," according to a January 2006 Fort Worth Star-Telegram news article.

Since 1953, Texas has received more major disaster declarations than any other state — 84 — mostly for severe storms, flooding and tornadoes. California, the largest state, has received the second most (78) followed by Oklahoma (68) and Florida (63). Rhode Island has received the least (8).

So far, Obama has issued one major disaster declaration for Texas — in August 2010, for Hurricane Alex, according to FEMA. Before that, President George W. Bush issued two major disaster declarations after hurricanes hit the state in July and September 2008.

Carney correctly summed up the Obama administration’s approval of fire-fighting grants for Texas but he glosses over its denial of the disaster declaration, which could have covered more counties and provided retroactive assistance.

We rate his statement as Mostly True.

And again.


FEMA had not denied federal aid for the 2011 Texas wildfires; it had approved the fire-fighting grants adding up to $23 million — far more than Oklahoma’s approximate $3 million in disaster aid.

Postscript: In July 2011, President Barack Obama reversed course, signing a general disaster declaration allowing local governments in 45 counties to seek federal help to pay for debris removal and emergency measures taken to save lives and protect property and public health due to the spring wildfires, the Associated Press reported.