Sherman: Brown Must Go

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Brad Sherman called Thursday on President Bush to fire Michael D. Brown, the Federal Emergency Management Agency director in charge of the badly bungled federal response to Hurricane Katrina.

Despite warnings for days that the killer hurricane was gathering strength and threatened to swamp New Orleans, Brown failed to move sufficient rescuers and supplies into position before the storm struck. He was inexcusably sluggish in the critical hours after Katrina slammed ashore. He remained unforgivably oblivious for days to the thousands of victims stranded in fetid conditions at the New Orleans Convention Center.

œHe was clueless. His performance was feckless. He should be jobless, Sherman said. œThe president shouldnt fire Brown to punish him. He should get rid of him to make room for someone who can handle the enormous job that remains to be done.

Sherman said the president should replace Brown with James Lee Witt, who headed FEMA with distinction after the 1994 Northridge earthquake and other natural disasters, or former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, who decisively led New York after the September 11 terrorist attacks that demolished the World Trade Center.

The inept federal response to Hurricane Katrina is in stark contrast to the disaster agencys swift and efficient response to the Northridge earthquake, which struck without warning. The FEMA response to the quake began 15 minutes after the earth shook. A headquarters emergency support team was activated 90 minutes after the quake. FEMA coordinated the response of 27 federal agencies, and a service center was quickly opened to help victims.

In short, we saw results, said Sherman, who represents Northridge and surrounding areas in the San Fernando Valley. œYou would think that 11 years after one of the nations worst natural disasters, our response would be even more rapid and effective, not slower and less efficient.

Sherman also said he will cosponsor legislation to establish an independent commission to study the federal response to Hurricane Katrina.