Sen. Landrieu Speaks Out Against FEMA Information Delays
Senator Mary L. Landrieu (D-La.) used the occasion of Sunshine Week to speak out against excessive delays by the Federal Emergency Management Agency in releasing information to the news media and public about disasters and their aftermath — particularly regarding Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
"Open government is a tenet of our democracy, and accountability is never more important than in times of crisis. Only by shining the light on public scrutiny of the government's mistakes can we take steps to prevent them from repeating," Landrieu wrote in an opinion column first published by PoynterOnline and now available for Sunshine Week participants via the Sunshine Week Toolkit.
Landrieu took particular exception to FEMA delays and six-figure fees for releasing information to New Orleans and Baton Rouge newspapers.
"The catastrophic hurricanes and levee failures of 2005 left a lot of unanswered questions and lessons yet to be learned as we prepare for future disasters," she wrote. "These lessons are far too important to leave in the shadows."
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