What’s Happening:
President Joe Biden’s response to the wildfire devastation in Maui is heating up in Congress. Biden casually addressed initial reports of the devastation with his “no comment” response as he enjoyed time off on a beach.
Since then, at least 115 people have been confirmed killed during the fires with hundreds still unaccounted for by Hawaii officials. U.S. House Republicans want to know more about the federal response to the killer fires and Biden’s response to the tragedy.
From the Daily Caller:
The House Oversight and Accountability Committee will conduct an inquiry into the Biden administration’s response to the Maui fires, which began on Aug. 8 and completely devastated the town of Lahaina.
“The response by federal, state, and local officials to the catastrophic wildfire in Maui raises serious questions and Americans, especially those impacted by this tragedy, deserve answers,” House Oversight and Accountability Committee Chairman James Comer told the DCNF.
GOP leaders want to account for how taxpayer dollars are being used and whether the president’s response was efficient and effective in this situation. Government responses to natural disasters have been called into question in the past for potential waste, fraud, and abuse of taxpayer funds. GOP House members said they have jurisdiction to ensure accountability in these cases.
Biden hasn’t improved his popularity in Hawaii or around the nation after his initial response to the Maui disaster. Local island and state officials have criticized his attitude and actions as callous and slow to respond appropriately.
An example validating the out of touch from the White House can be seen in how the press secretary and vice president responded. They encouraged locals to use online resources to get help but many residents didn’t have access to the internet or cellular service because the infrastructure suffered fire damage or total loss.
Locals also pointed out that federal support was slow when relief was needed immediately. According to reports, federal agencies didn’t deliver needed portable power generators which are important for search and rescue as well as daily living needs. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) claimed the slow response was due to the agency not having enough internal resources to meet disaster demands.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has pledged to visit the disaster area soon and supports House inquiries into failures of Biden and federal agencies in helping Maui victims.
Key Takeaways:
- House committee set to investigate president’s response to Maui disaster.
- Biden has been widely criticized by island locals for his efforts.
- Congress wants to know why federal agencies responded slowly.
Source: Daily Caller
