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FEMA Veteran Welcomes Idea to Dismantle Agency

A Senate panel's proposal to dismantle FEMA is a good idea, says Bruce Baughman, president of the National Emergency Management Association and director for the Alabama Emergency Management Agency.

Before moving to Alabama, Baughman worked at FEMA for 30 years, where he was the director of operations during the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. When he left, Baughman was director of FEMA's Office of National Preparedness, working with the White House Office of Homeland Security.

Most recently, he coordinated with FEMA during Hurricane Katrina. Baughman says the newly proposed organization, while employing a lot of the same people, could be a more capable agency -- especially if the director reports directly to the president.

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As special correspondent and guest host of NPR's news programs, Melissa Block brings her signature combination of warmth and incisive reporting. Her work over the decades has earned her journalism's highest honors, and has made her one of NPR's most familiar and beloved voices.