"The failure of FEMA was a failure of leadership. It's time for Michael Brown to leave FEMA."
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Barbara A. Mikulski (D-MD) issued the following statement today, calling for FEMA Director Michael Brown to leave the Agency:
"The failure of FEMA was a failure of leadership. It's time for Michael Brown to leave FEMA, either voluntarily or involuntarily. Let's bring in someone who is a professional at emergency management.
"If FEMA cannot respond to a hurricane that was coming for days with warning after warning, what will happen when an unexpected terrorist attack happens? Or a sudden earthquake?
"The President must appoint an experienced, professional emergency manager to be the FEMA Director. The FEMA Director must be a non-partisan position that should go only to someone with a long and distinguished career as a professional emergency manager.
"The people of the Gulf Coast have been doubly victimized. First by Hurricane Katrina, then by their own government. We must make sure that it never happens again. We must restore the American public's faith in FEMA."