Obama’s Day: Obama to address cyber security, attend FEMA hurricane preparedness meeting

October 1st, 2009 Homeland Security to hire cyber expertsWASHINGTON — The Obama administration has given a green light to the Department of Homeland Security to hire up to 1,000 new cyber experts over the next three years, the first major personnel move to fulfill its vow to bolster security of the nation's computer networks. The announcement follows a wave of cyber attacks on federal agencies, including a July assault that knocked government Web sites off the Internet and earlier intrusions into the country's electrical grid.

September 24th, 2009 Verdict reached in trial involving FEMA trailersNEW ORLEANS — Federal jurors have reached a verdict in the first trial over claims that government-issued trailers exposed Gulf Coast hurricane victims to potentially hazardous fumes. After eight days of testimony, the jury heard closing arguments Thursday in the case against trailer manufacturer Gulf Stream Coach Inc.

August 3rd, 2009 FEMA to focus on children's needs during disastersWASHINGTON — The Federal Emergency Management Agency is going to plan more broadly for children and their needs as the government prepares for disasters. "Children are not small adults," FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate said Monday.

June 25th, 2009 Report: FEMA misspent $7 million on warehousesWASHINGTON — The Federal Emergency Management Agency ignored the law and misused millions of dollars to build two warehouses after hurricanes Katrina and Rita, according to government investigators. Some of the money FEMA misused should have gone toward Katrina victims in Louisiana, according to a Homeland Security Inspector General report obtained by The Associated Press.

June 17th, 2009 Texas woman stole, sold Hurricane Rita trailerBEAUMONT, Texas — A Texas woman who stole a Hurricane Rita travel trailer and resold it has pleaded guilty to theft of government property. The U.S. Attorney's office in Beaumont on Tuesday announced the plea by 44-year-old Shelley Jerie Dewitt of Vidor (VY'-dor).

June 16th, 2009 Audit: FEMA must do better tracking its contractsWASHINGTON — The Federal Emergency Management Agency failed to follow some federal contracting rules, making it impossible to know whether the agency got its money's worth during disasters, a government audit found. In a report released Tuesday, the inspector general for the Homeland Security Department said that auditors looked at 32 disaster contracts from 2007.

May 29th, 2009 Obama: Residents must prepare for hurricanesWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama urged residents of hurricane-prone communities on Friday to take responsibility for their own safety and start planning now. Hurricane season officially begins Monday.

May 14th, 2009 FEMA rolls out new disaster housing optionsEMMITSBURG, Md. — Federal officials are rolling out new mobile homes for disaster victims to replace the much-criticized travel trailers used in the wake of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

May 12th, 2009 Republican agrees to lift nold on FEMA nomineeWASHINGTON — A Louisiana Republican agreed Tuesday to stop blocking the White House's pick to lead FEMA amid bipartisan criticism that he was leaving the agency vulnerable just a few weeks away from hurricane season. Sen. David Vitter had put a hold on confirming Craig Fugate at the Federal Emergency Management Agency until FEMA officials provided answers on several lingering questions involving Hurricane Katrina rebuilding.

May 12th, 2009 Republican agrees to stop blocking FEMA nomineeWASHINGTON — A Louisiana Republican agreed Tuesday to stop blocking the White House's pick to lead FEMA amid bipartisan criticism that he was leaving the agency vulnerable just a few weeks away from hurricane season. Sen. David Vitter had put a hold on confirming Craig Fugate at the Federal Emergency Management Agency until FEMA officials provided answers on several lingering questions involving Hurricane Katrina rebuilding.

May 6th, 2009 White House defends FEMA nomineeWASHINGTON — The White House says its nominee to run the Federal Emergency Management Agency deserves immediate Senate confirmation, not "political posturing" from a Republican senator standing in the way. President Barack Obama nominated Craig Fugate (FYOO'-gayt) two months ago.

May 5th, 2009 Senator blocking Obama's FEMA nomineeWASHINGTON — Hurricane season starts in just a few weeks, but the Federal Emergency Management Agency remains without a leader as a Louisiana Republican senator is blocking the White House's nominee over lingering concerns from Hurricane Katrina. Sen. David Vitter said Tuesday he is standing by the hold he placed on President Barack Obama's choice to lead FEMA.

May 1st, 2009 Drawings of 9/11 attacks taken off kids' Web siteWASHINGTON — An online coloring book from 2003 that showed planes crashing into the World Trade Center has been removed from the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Web site. Besides drawings inspired by the Sept.

April 22nd, 2009 Senate hears from FEMA and immigration nomineesWASHINGTON — The president's nominees to lead the nation's disaster response and immigration enforcement agencies are headed to Capitol Hill for confirmation hearings in the Senate. Federal Emergency Management Agency nominee Craig Fugate faces questions from the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee about hurricane preparedness and response.

April 22nd, 2009 FEMA nominee promises to improve responseWASHINGTON — The president's nominee to lead the nation's disaster response agency said he will hold the agency to a much higher standard than how it demonstrated in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. In testimony prepared for his confirmation hearing Wednesday, Craig Fugate said the 2005 Gulf Coast hurricanes would no longer be the benchmark for performance under his watch at the Federal Emergency Management Agency.