Red Cross Fails To Respond To Congressional Inquiry

by Gary Snyder

As Nonprofit Imperative has noted Rep. Bennie Thompson, the ranking member of the House homeland security committee, sent the charity a long list of questions after ProPublica recently revealed the cuts and detailed how they have eroded the Red Cross’ ability to respond to even modest disasters. 

Red Cross CEO Gail McGovern responded in a letter late last month that she has tried to lower “the costs of delivering our services to the public — without diminishing the services themselves — and we believe we have achieved that goal.”

But McGovern did not answer basic questions about the cuts, including how many actual chapter offices she has closed.

McGovern also ignored Thompson’s question about how many emergency planners have told the Red Cross they are no longer incorporating the charity in their response plans.

As reported, some local officials as well as former Red Cross staffers say the charity can no longer be relied on to respond to disasters.

Thompson, who has been pushing for more oversight of the Red Cross, told ProPublica that he is “troubled” by the lack of answers.

"I am troubled that questions were ignored and some of the responses provided were inconsistent with information from numerous media reports,” Thompson said in a statement. “I will continue my oversight of the Red Cross and will not stop until all questions are answered.

In 2014, McGovern tried to kill a investigation into the charity by the Government Accountability Office. After that failed and the inquiry went forward, the Red Cross didn’t provide full access to the government investigators. (ProPublica)



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