Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2005
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| Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2005 | |
|---|---|
| Name | Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2005 |
| Full name | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Relief and Restoration Activities |
| Introduced by | Representative Robert Ney |
| Introduced date | 2005-09-02 |
| Passed house | 2005-09-08 |
| Passed senate | 2005-09-08 |
| Signed by | President George W. Bush |
| Signed date | 2005-09-02 |
| Public law | 109-62 |
Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2005 was an emergency supplemental statute enacted in response to Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Rita, and Hurricane Wilma that struck the United States Gulf Coast in 2005. The Act provided unprecedented appropriations for recovery, reconstruction, and mitigation administered through agencies such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the Army Corps of Engineers. It became a focal point in debates involving congressional leaders like Dennis Hastert and Harry Reid, executive officials including Michael D. Brown and President George W. Bush, and advocacy groups such as the American Red Cross and Common Ground Collective.
Background and Legislative History
The Act followed landfalls by Hurricane Katrina, Rita, and Hurricane Wilma and intersected with prior legislation like the Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act and appropriation measures considered by the 109th United States Congress. After initial emergency responses by FEMA and the Department of Defense, congressional leaders including Tom DeLay, Nancy Pelosi, Orrin Hatch, and Ted Stevens negotiated supplemental funding. Hearings in committees such as the United States House Committee on Appropriations and the United States Senate Committee on Appropriations involved testimony from officials including Michael D. Brown, Kathleen Blanco, and Ray Nagin. Floor debates referenced the precedents of the New Deal era responses and legislative history from the Public Works Administration to modern disaster statutes.
Provisions and Funding Allocations
The statute allocated funds across multiple programs administered by entities such as the Federal Highway Administration, Social Security Administration, United States Postal Service, and United States Army Corps of Engineers. Major line items included Community Development Block Grants managed by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, individual assistance through FEMA's Individuals and Households Program, and hazard mitigation grants referencing projects overseen by the U.S. Geological Survey and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Appropriations for reconstruction included levee and flood-control projects aligned with the Mississippi River Commission and the New Orleans District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The Act also provided funds for public health responses involving the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and for workforce support through programs coordinated with the Department of Labor.
Implementation and Administration
Implementation required coordination among federal agencies such as FEMA, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of the Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Army Corps of Engineers, as well as state governors like Kathleen Blanco and municipal officials including Ray Nagin. Grants were channeled to local entities including the City of New Orleans, the State of Louisiana, and nonprofit partners such as the American Red Cross and Salvation Army. Implementation intersected with recovery programs initiated by philanthropic actors like the Katrina Relief Fund and health responses from institutions including Tulane University and the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center. Contracting involved private companies that later faced scrutiny paralleling cases involving firms like Halliburton and Bechtel in other post-disaster contexts.
Impact and Outcomes
The Act financed large-scale projects including restoration of the New Orleans Hurricane Protection System, rebuilding of infrastructure in the Gulfport, Mississippi and Biloxi, Mississippi areas, and housing assistance across the Louisiana and Mississippi coastlines. Outcomes included reconstruction of public schools tied to districts such as the New Orleans Public Schools and investments in levee improvements coordinated with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Economic effects were debated by analysts at institutions like the Congressional Budget Office, the Government Accountability Office, and universities such as Harvard University and Tulane University. Long-term community impacts were studied by civic groups including the Urban Institute and the Brookings Institution, with attention to displacement patterns involving metropolitan areas like Houston and Baton Rouge.
Controversies and Legal Challenges
The Act spawned controversies involving oversight of funds, contract awards, and allocation decisions, drawing scrutiny from entities such as the Government Accountability Office, the Department of Justice, and congressional investigators on committees chaired by members like Henry Waxman. Legal challenges included litigation brought by state governments such as Mississippi and by municipalities including New Orleans over insurance, indemnification, and compliance with statutes like the National Environmental Policy Act and the Clean Water Act. High-profile administrative controversies involved Michael D. Brown and prompted inquiries by lawmakers including John McCain and Chuck Schumer. Contract fraud prosecutions implicated contractors and led to enforcement actions by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
Oversight, Accountability, and Audits
Oversight mechanisms included audits and reports by the Government Accountability Office, inspector general offices such as the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General, and congressional oversight by the House Committee on Homeland Security and the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. Audits examined grant management at FEMA, procurement practices tied to the Army Corps of Engineers, and community-development spending by the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Recommendations from oversight bodies influenced reforms reflected in later legislation and administrative changes affecting officials such as Craig Fugate and policies at the Federal Emergency Management Agency.