Senator to Block Vote on FEMA Nominee

Angry over FEMA’s flood insurance program, a senator said late Thursday that he would block the confirmation of R. David Paulison as the agency’s chief in the latest hitch in the push for his approval before the start of the hurricane season June 1.

A spokesman for Sen. Jim Bunning (R-Ky.) said the senator would delay a vote on Paulison’s confirmation until the Federal Emergency Management Agency develops a suitable appeals process for property owners whose flood insurance claims are rejected.

FEMA administers the insurance program. Bunning spokesman Mike Reynard said the agency was supposed to establish an appeals process by December 2004.

Bunning “is going to hold the nomination until they meet the intention of Congress by establishing an appeals process that will help the victims of floods,” Reynard said. “It has to be a real and meaningful appeals process.”

Homeland Security spokesman Russ Knocke declined to comment Thursday night on the stalled confirmation. The Homeland Security Department oversees FEMA.

The surprise delay surfaced hours after a Senate panel approved Paulison’s nomination by voice vote after he pledged to refile three years of tax returns to correct travel deductions.

In a statement, Paulison said he was “pleased to have this matter raised and resolved” after the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee this week found errors in his state and federal returns.

Paulison, who has served as acting FEMA director since September, said he relied on ultimately bad advice from his accountant in filing the returns from 2003 to 2005. It was not immediately known how much the deductions were worth.