Five months after Hurricane Ike, 15 state legislators told their colleagues and constituents Wednesday that Texas must stop waiting for the federal government to help its residents after a disaster.
In a sweeping set of recommendations developed through six public hearings throughout Southeast Texas, the House Select Committee on Hurricane Ike pushed to assert more state authority — and use hundreds of millions of state dollars — to provide temporary housing, ensure that utilities and other essential services continue to function and limit damage by requiring stronger building codes.
A key recommendation — providing $250 million for a state Disaster Contingency Fund — reflected the panel’s conviction that many federal services take too long to reach the storm-stricken families who need them.
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