FEMA Spends $5M to Find Lost $28 Billion

Wednesday, October 28, 2009 1:30 PM

By: Rick Pedraza

A top official for the Federal Emergency Management Agency admitted to a congressional panel Tuesday that his agency has no way of assessing the effectiveness of homeland security improvements made from the $29 billion spent since 2002.

FEMA deputy administrator Timothy Manning told the House Homeland Security Emergency Communications subcommittee panel his organization spent $5 million during the last 18 months reviewing how it spent the original $29 billion provided by the federal government, the Washington Examiner reports.

Manning insisted the money spent to improve homeland security has made the nation better prepared for a terrorist attack, but wasn’t able to say exactly how.

“Existing data tells us very little about our return on investment," Manning testified before frustrated committee members, including subcommittee chairman Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas.

"Free advice,â€