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1 (April 26, 2006)

handle is hein.crs/crsmthabdog0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Order Code RS22235 April 26, 2006 CRS Report for Congress Received through the CRS Web Disaster Evacuation and Displacement Policy: Issues for Congress Keith Bea Specialist in American National Government Government and Finance Division Summary The devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina reached beyond the borders of the states directly affected by the wind, rain, and floods. Before the storm reached the coast, thousands of residents of Louisiana and Mississippi evacuated to other states, including Texas and Oklahoma. As a result, President Bush issued emergency declarations for 36 states solely to help them meet the needs of evacuees. In general, evacuation policy is set and enforced by state and local officials. However, federal policy does provide for certain aspects of civilian emergency evacuation. Members of Congress may elect to reconsider federal policy options to more fully integrate federal and state authorities through legislation such as H.R. 3815, H.R. 4066, H.R. 4258, S. 1685, S. 1807, S. 2124, and S. 2133. This report will be updated. Using the authority set out in state laws and local ordinances, state and local officials may suggest or require the evacuation of residents from homes and communities before certain catastrophes occur.' Threats of pending natural disasters such as hurricanes or floods, warnings of the movement of airborne hazardous material due to transportation accidents, or the recognition of unstable conditions at nuclear power plants may provide officials a short window of opportunity to save thousands of lives by encouraging or mandating civilian evacuation. To a limited extent, federal statutes authorize agency heads to use federal resources to assist in the evacuation of civilians. For example, a provision in the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act authorizes the President to direct the Secretary of Defense to use resources to perform necessary emergency work to preserve 1 State laws generally authorize the Governor to order and enforce the evacuation of residents under emergency situations. See CRS Report RL32287, Emergency Management and Homeland Security Statutory Authorities in the States, District of Columbia, and InsularAreas: a Summary, by Keith Bea, Government and Finance Division, CRS, and L. Cheryl Runyon and Kae M. Warnock, consultants, p. 4. Congressional Research Service +o The Library of Congress

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