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Opinion

FEMA aid sent to wrong address

Christian Ochoa
Opinion Columnist 

The worst thing happened to me this weekend. No, I didn't lose a family member or contract a disease because of my wanton adventures. I lost $50 while doing laundry. Sure, $50 might seem like a small amount, but I can purchase many things: gas for two weeks, dinner for four at an American-style restaurant and jeans that give me much-needed attention. Even though my financial problems seem trivial, the United States is facing an even more devastating loss of money. 

It was reported earlier this month on Capitol Hill that the Federal Emergency Management Agency wasted about $1.4 billion on fraudulent cases in assistance for Hurricane Katrina and Rita victims. The General Accountability Office, the investigative arm of Congress, went undercover to expose bogus cases of assistance. The GAO reported to the House Homeland Security subcommittee on investigations that 16 percent of FEMA needs were unwarranted, The Associated Press reported. 

It's a black-and-white fact that FEMA was too slow in bringing aid to a devastated New Orleans last September. There's something wrong when a government agency finds out about the devastation caused by a natural disaster through Anderson Cooper. Aid was rushed from all parts of the United States after Katrina, and many are still trying to help the victims of this storm. Even in its aftermath, Katrina left the U.S. government in a dazed and confused state. 

GAO reported that in some cases, so-called victims in hotels were paid twice since FEMA gave them individual aid and hotel expenses. FEMA also gave victims debit cards to purchase necessary products. Among these necessary products are: five season tickets for a New Orleans football game, one-week vacation in the Caribbean, Dom Perignon champagne from a Hooters restaurant, $300 worth of Girls Gone Wild videos, adult toys purchased in a Houston shop, divorce lawyer services and a sex change for one very lucky individual. It's too good to know that my taxes arre helping someone reshape their God-given junk.

FEMA paid millions to registrants who used names and Social Security numbers belonging to state and federal prisoners. Scam artists used graveyards and post office box numbers as addresses of damaged property to hoodwink FEMA agents. One audacious scam artist used 13 different Social Security numbers -- including his own -- to receive a reported $139,000 in aid. 

FEMA's excuse for its lack of oversight on this matter: The rush of sending aid was immense. This rationale is no excuse for a government body to rely on the honor system when handing our financial aid to victims from the pockets of Americans. If the government wants to restore trust among the American people, relief organizations must revamp their bureaucracies to avoid wasteful spending on frivolous cases. Even with this tremendous blow against the U.S. government, there is still a silver lining: Hooters offered to reimburse the government for that bottle of Don Perignon. Another example of why you can't go wrong with Hooters. 

Ochoa, an opinion columnist for The Daily Cougar, 
can be reached at thecochoa@gmail.com.