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House Oversight Committee Hearing on FEMA's Toxic Trailers

Press Release: FEMA Was Not Forthright with Congressional Investigators, House Oversight and Government Reform Full Committee Hearing on FEMA’s Toxic Trailers, July 19, 2007

  • “Apparently, the problem of unsafe formaldehyde levels in FEMA trailers was more widespread than initially acknowledged. And FEMA’s reaction to the problem was deliberately stunted to bolster the agency’s litigation position. New information recently provided to the Committee shows those statements mischaracterized the scope and purpose of FEMA’s actual response to the formaldehyde reports. Recently discovered documents make it appear FEMA’s primary concerns were legal liability and public relations, not human health and safety. Decisions about assistance to Gulf Coast residents seem to have been driven by the desire to limit litigation, even if that meant limiting genuine testing and risk mitigation efforts as well.”
  • Committee Probes FEMA’s Response to Reports of Toxic Trailers – Overview
  • Chairman Waxman’s Opening Statement
  • Supplemental Memo and Exhibits
  • Video of the Hearing
  • FEMA was Not Forthright with Congressional Investigators: The Emails
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