Congressman Al Green Joins Local Advocates to Demand FEMA Rescind Stop-Payment Policy

(Washington, DC)--Today, Congressman Al Green joined the ACORN Katrina Survivor Association and AFL-CIO Vice President Linda Chavez-Thompson at a rally demanding that FEMA rescind its decision to stop payment on hotel costs for Katrina evacuees on December.   FEMA's decision is projected to leave nearly 19,000 evacuees in the Houston area without housing. 

"We all want to see evacuees in permanent housing but our federal agencies should reconsider the December 1 deadline and be more reasonable given the unusual circumstances. FEMA needs to match its stated desire to see people in permanent housing with it new policies.  As it stands today, FEMA is not providing the needed help to cities like Houston that immediately and generously responded in a time of crisis," Congressman Al Green said.

With the holidays approaching and many evacuees still unable to return to their Gulf Coast homes, the decision may leave some of the neediest evacuees without a place to live.  The ACORN Katrina Survivors Association leader Dorothy Stukes commented, We as a country need to treat people better than this.

Congressman Al Green coordinated a letter that was sent to Acting FEMA Director R. David Paulison that was signed by 13 Members of the Texas Congressional Delegation. The letter expresses the Members consternation with the departments new proposed policy. According to Congressman Al Green, the problem facing Houston is two fold: (1) FEMA should extend the December 1 deadline to give both the city and evacuees time to locate adequate permanent housing, and (2) FEMA should make good on those long-term housing leases signed by cities like Houston.

"We're going to organize our resources at the federal level to act in the best interest of our city and those now calling it home. It is paramount that we continue to work together with FEMA to maintain our commitment to Katrina hurricane victims while remaining conscious of our budget constraints," Congressman Al Green said.