FEMA Is Scrapping $2000 Debit Card Program For Hurricane Survivors

FEMA Is Scrapping $2,000 Debit Card

http://www.kron4.com/Global/story.asp?S=3830395

Posted: September 9, 2005 at 3:30 p.m.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The nation's relief agency said Friday it will discontinue its program to distribute debit cards worth up to $2,000 to hurricane victims, two days after hastily announcing the novel plan to provide quick relief.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency said it will scrap the program once officials finish distributing cards this weekend at shelters in Dallas, Houston and San Antonio, where many of the evacuees were moved. No cards will be issued to victims in other states.

Hurricane victims at other locations will have to apply for expedited aid through the agency's traditional route -- filling out information on FEMA's Web site to receive direct bank deposits, FEMA spokeswoman Natalie Rule said.

(Gold9472: In other words, bureaucratically.)

"We tried it as an innovative way to get aid to evacuee populations in Texas. We decided it would be more expeditious with direct deposits," she said, citing the large staffing operation that would be required to replicate the Texas operation in other states.

(Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

I love how it was big news when they were giving out $2,000 debit cards, and now that they're not, it's on the down low.

Good job guys.