FEMA approves aid for Texas fertilizer plant blast
Source: AP
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The Federal Emergency Management Agency reversed its previous decision and approved additional funding Friday to help rebuild the small Texas town where an April fertilizer plant explosion leveled homes, damaged buildings and killed 15 people. President Barack Obama issued a "major disaster declaration" for the community of West, just north of Waco, freeing up federal support to supplement state and local reconstruction efforts that are already underway.
Even before the decision, FEMA had provided millions of dollars in aid to West and its residents, but in June denied Texas' original application for major disaster funding, preventing the town from accessing widespread assistance money typically available to victims of tornadoes, hurricanes and other natural disasters.
In its original letter to the state, FEMA said the explosion was "not of the severity and magnitude that warrants a major disaster declaration." That ruling affected both public assistance aid — which provides funding to the city to rebuild — and further individual aid, which provides crisis counseling and other services.
Gov. Rick Perry had vowed to appeal the decision and released a statement Friday calling the reversal "great and welcome news for the people of West." He also thanked the state's congressional delegation for "standing with the people whose lives have been forever impacted to move this appeal forward."
Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/us/article/FEMA-approves-aid-for-Texas-fertilizer-plant-blast-4703197.php
Socialism!
= new reply since forum marked as read
Nope - not the President's fault.
He was honoring the wishes of Texans and Governor Oops Perry when they said they didn't want the feds getting involved in the lives of proud southerners. In fact, Texans want so little from the feds, they want to secede.
I say "Bye bye, y'all" 
Kiss our grits. 
