The devastating earthquake and ensuing tsunami that struck Japan earlier this month reminded us all of the ever-present danger of natural disasters and, more importantly, of the need for us to be as well prepared for them as possible — both as a society and as individuals.
However, the irony is that as the government spends hundreds of billions of dollars to prevent a man-made disaster, it has chronically underfunded projects that would prevent extensive damage to life and property from natural disasters.
There is more than enough blame to pass around, as both parties have targeted funding dedicated to mitigating disasters and providing relief.
In the latest round of congressional budget cuts, the Republicans in the House have decided to eliminate funding for the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii and sharply cut funding for the U.S. Geological Survey, which monitors volcanoes and earthquakes worldwide. This would render the center unable to upgrade tsunami models and would severely hamper alerts, putting millions of lives along the Pacific at risk.
Republican Steve King responded to this criticism: “I think we often overreact to emergencies, especially natural disasters.”
The reality of the situation is that the 62-year-old center has saved countless lives. It is definitely not an overreaction to emergencies but instead minimizes the dangers to life and property.
It’s truly irksome that the congressional delegation is more than willing to upkeep the $700 billion of spending in defense but fails to see the need for the disaster monitoring that the center and the USGS provide against natural disasters.
Another area slated for funding cuts is the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. This division of the Army traces its origin back to the days of the Continental Congress. It handles everything from infrastructural support to disaster preparedness.
The most critical role the group plays is the management of the thousands of levees across the nation. However, despite the many years of chronic underfunding that led to the flooding of New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina, President Obama suggested a $900-million cut to the program, leaving millions vulnerable. This is especially true in South Florida, where hundreds of thousands are protected from Lake Okeechobee by an aging dike desperately in need of fortifications.
The saddest part of the situation is that this might be the only part of the defense budget Republicans will agree to cut.
All the proposed cuts mentioned in this article total to about $5 billion dollars, but the money goes toward funding programs and services that save millions of lives and billions of dollars worth of property.
To put this in perspective, the Pentagon has volunteered to cut $20 billion a year for the next five years; however, the department’s request to relinquish funding has fallen on deaf ears. Many of those elected see only foreign threats and dedicate hundreds of billions of dollars to defense, neglecting the threats natural disasters pose to the well-being of citizens and businesses across the country.
Chad Mohammed is a second-year chemical engineering major. His column appears on Thursdays.
