<span class="Apple-style-span">

Two of the things that President Bush is known for are his cowboy nature and his insistence that climate change is nothing to worry about. Now, it turns out that climate change is driving up the cost of cowboy hats:  http://monkeymuse.blogspot.com/2005/10/lifes-ric
h-ironies-two-of-things-that.html</span&gt

Disaster preparation involves planning and stockpiling materials.  Disaster response involves immediate aid to affected communities and debris removal.  Disaster recovery is rebuilding.  Hazard mitigation involves new capital projects to avoid, minimize and mitigate the impacts of future disasters (e.g. levees, seawalls, flood gates, etc.).

FEMA accomplishes most of its disaster recovery and hazard mitigation through grants to state and local governments.  When I was a staff attorney with a Texas natural resource agency, I worked with FEMA staff during disaster recovery following several tropical storms and on hazard mitigation projects.  The disaster recovery phase for large events can last several years with FEMA staff coordinating with federal, state, and local representatives on recovery and mitigation projects.  FEMA passes the money through so that the state and local entities can carry out the projects.

Now, the question still remains whether FEMA's long-term missions for preparation and recovery are consistent with the overall mission of DHS.