What Is FEMAs Role?
EO #11051 is interesting; it authorizes FEMA near-total power in times of crisis. There’s been lots of discussion on the Internet regarding the excessive control FEMA has been granted and it was pointedly commented upon in July’s world premiere movie release of the “X-Files”. FEMA was created by President Carter under Executive Order #12148. Its legal authorization is Title 42, United States Code 5121 (42 USC Sec. 5121) called the “Stafford Act.” During activation of Executive Orders, FEMA answers only to the National Security Council which answers only to the President. Once these powers are invoked, not even Congress can intervene or countermand them for six months. What Clinton, or Reagan, or any other president did when writing an EO, was to direct his Cabinet member(s), in this case FEMA, to take specific action to carry out the directives of the EO. Where Jimmy Carter had created FEMA by Esecutive Order in 1979, Robert Safford took it a step futher and pushed a bill through in 19
