Texas, Flash flood and Special Session
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Congress should be demanding accountability from FEMA. Instead they're going on vacation. A short hearing by the House Transportation Committee offered little insight into what went wrong in Texas.
The Legislature will look at proposals for emergency preparedness in a special session that was already planned over hemp laws. A bill to help build emergency systems failed in the spring.
The first bills related to revamping disaster preparedness in the aftermath of the deadly flooding have been filed.
The Texas Tribune on MSN1d
Plans for flood warning system floundered before Hill Country floods, witnesses tell legislative flood committeeCommunication problems, a lack of qualification standards for emergency management coordinators and other issues have plagued the state long before the July 4 floods, officials told two special committees Wednesday.
The first State Flood Plan, published last year, identified $54 billion in flood mitigation, warning and data needs. The state has awarded around $660 million since the plan was published, with a special legislative session coming.
On Thursday, the Texas House and Senate announced the creation of committees on disaster preparedness and flooding.
16don MSNOpinion
Even before dozens died in flood waters on July 4, Texas ranked first in the U.S. in number of deaths due to natural disasters.
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