Vitter: Don’t Promote FEMA’s Fugate until Flood Insurance Challenges Addressed

METAIRIE, La., July 29 -- The office of Sen. David Vitter, R-La., issued the following news release:

U.S. Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) is sending a letter to President Barack Obama this morning urging against nominating FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate to be Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) unless and until the challenges under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) are addressed. Fugate is rumored to be the successor for Janet Napolitano at DHS. Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) has also signed on to Vitter's letter.

"Earlier this year, FEMA caused panic in many parishes in south Louisiana in part by predicting future flood insurance rates based on incomplete and inaccurate maps, and the man in charge of administering this program shouldn't get a promotion until all of the challenges resulting from the implementation of Biggert-Waters are resolved," Vitter said. "The flawed flood maps put communities affected under the gun, and the result could be that they will have to bear the cost of FEMA's mistakes for years to come."

If nominated Fugate would have to go through the U.S. Senate confirmation process. Vitter may consider blocking Fugate if he is indeed nominated before the challenges facing the NFIP are adequately addressed. Vitter has called on FEMA (http://www.vitter.senate.gov/newsroom/press/vitter-demands-fema-rescind-flawed-flood-maps-or-risk-repeating-same-irresponsible-mistakes) to rescind preliminary flood maps.

A copy of the letter sent by Vitter and Landrieu this morning is below.

July 29, 2013

The Honorable Barack Obama

President

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW

Washington, DC 20500

Dear President Obama:

We understand that Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator W. Craig Fugate is under serious consideration to be the next Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. In light of the extremely serious challenges facing him under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), we both feel strongly that these challenges must be addressed in a very serious manner before he is promoted to any other position. We are both determined to ensure this under the rules of the U.S. Senate.

Sincerely,

David Vitter Mary Landrieu

United States Senator United States Senator

Cc:

W. Craig Fugate, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency

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