FEMA wastes $70 million on ice

spike

spike

New Member
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - In his first Capitol press conference, U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen blasted the Federal Emergency Management Agency for wasting $70 million worth of ice.

FEMA bought 224.3 million pounds of ice in 2005 to help victims of Hurricanes Rita and Katrina and for the 2006 hurricane season, when it wasn't needed. The ice was stored in Memphis and 22 other towns across the country. The company storing the ice began melting it earlier this month after FEMA determined it had outlived its shelf life.

"It is appalling to learn of the waste of $67 million in taxpayer money for the purchase, transportation and storage of ice," Cohen wrote in a letter to agency director R. David Paulison Wednesday. "That an additional $3.4 million is being paid to melt the ice is unconscionable. To consider such waste a part of doing business is a slap in the face of hardworking Americans whose taxes pay our salaries."

The Memphis Democrat, who sits on the House subcommittee that oversees FEMA, also criticized the agency for talking to a New York television station about the issue before answering his formal inquiry.

The Memphis storage facility that had kept the ice placed it outside to melt two weeks ago, and Cohen said he saw people carting it away. He is concerned that the ice may not have been fit for human consumption, but FEMA took no steps to prevent people from taking it.

FEMA has said it will no longer make bulk purchases of ice.

During the press conference, Cohen occasionally sipped from an ice-filled glass.

"On a hot day," he said, "ice is good."
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http://www.wmcstations.com/Global/story.asp?S=6812708
 
I'm saying no matter what happens he'll bitch. It's his nature. I'm sick of hearing it. Hence, sit down and shut up. He has his opinion, I have mine.
 
If your opinion is that wasting $70 million on ice is a good move that's pretty strange.

I'm pretty happy to see people "bitch" about gigantic wastes of tax dollars personally.
 
EVERYTHING about the NO situation has been/is screwed up....
From the pres., all the way down to the citizens.

I've said it before, I'll say it again....
you can't help those who won't help themselves either. (only so much)
(of coarse those who can't is a different story)

Why is that? I'm not totally sure. It's just what history reflects, as far as I can see.
 
:p
well, really the only thing I can Prove that He did wrong was appoint the wrong people into certain positions.

It just goes to show...only trowing money at things, will not solve situations.
You Have to have the Right people in the right positions.

I'm not really sure on this, but...
Either the National guard shouldn't have had to be called in, or the should
have been called earlier.
(just another example):shrug:
 
Considering that thanks to the water cycle, what we drink today is really recycled dinosaur pee... I don't see why ice has a shelf life.
 
We simply HAVE to have the ice. There is a glaring ice gap with the Soviets. Do you know how much ice our enemy has? ... its quite a lot, I must say. We don't need to be caught with our pants down and no ice onhand.
 
SouthernN'Proud said:
Thank you for yet again placing words in my mouth.

Do one thing, do it well I suppose.
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Words in your mouth? That's your trick. :laugh:

I said "if your opinion is" just so I wouldn't be putting words in your mouth. The vagueness of your "don't bitch about wasted millions" leaves a little bit of guesswork.

You said something like "he has his opinion you have yours". His opinion is that $70 million wasted is appalling, you apparently disagree (what else would the different opinion be?) and don't want people to talk about it.

Close? Or do you want to clarify?
 
spike said:
You said something like "he has his opinion you have yours". His opinion is that $70 million wasted is appalling, you apparently disagree (what else would the different opinion be?) and don't want people to talk about it.

Close? Or do you want to clarify?
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Where did I disagree? Desiring a whining Memphis Demorat to shut up is an entirely different ball of wax, grasshoppah. I should know. I hear enough of it.

Jump to your next conclusion. With baited breath do I await.
 
And in the statement, "He has his opinion, I have mine," where exactly does it state to which degree the two differ? Are we 2% off? 97%? Any at all?

Jump jump jump.
 
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