FEMA Begins Post-Irene Balancing Act

In this photo provided by Sarah Jones, a supermarket parking lot is flooded with rain water from Tropical Storm Irene in Bennington, Vt. (AP)

The Washington Post’s Ed O’Keefe reported Monday that the Federal Emergency Management Agency has less than $1-billion available for federal disaster relief.

With damages from Hurricane Irene expected to be in the billions, O’Keefe says that FEMA is “temporarily suspending some payments to rebuild roads, schools, and other structures destroyed during Spring tornadoes” that hit Southern cities like Joplin Missouri.

Governors like Republican Chris Christie of New Jersey are praising the Obama Administration for the speed of the Federal response, but the moves mean that the Administration will have to ask Congress for supplemental funding for FEMA.

Guest:

• Ed O’Keefe, Federal Eye Columnist for the Washington Post