Fergie's Tech Blog

Disaster Tech: Bush Signing Statement Asserts Right to Ignore Criteria for FEMA Director

Somehow I missed this when it was first published, but thanks to the folks over at Crooks and Liars... I'm speechless.

Spencer S. Hsu writes in The Washington Post:

President Bush reserved the right to ignore key changes in Congress's overhaul of the Federal Emergency Management Agency -- including a requirement to appoint someone with experience handling disasters as the agency's head -- in setting aside dozens of provisions contained in a major homeland security spending bill this week.

Besides objecting to Congress's list of qualifications for FEMA's director, the White House also claimed the right to edit or withhold reports to Congress by a watchdog agency within the Department of Homeland Security that is responsible for protecting Americans' personal privacy.

posted by Fergie @ 10/27/2006 10:39:00 AM