What Am I Missing Here?

With the Federal Emergency Management Agency bloodied and bruised in the wake of questions regarding its competence, this doesn't seem like the smartest move by lawmakers: the U.S. House has voted to reduce FEMA's basline budget by 12 percent, to $2.6 billion.

The New York Times reports:

"Part of the reduction reflects emergency appropriations Congress has already made to cover hurricane-related costs and a reorganization requested by the secretary of Homeland Security, Michael Chertoff. The reorganization would transfer some duties from FEMA to other agencies. But the base budget for FEMA -- including financing for its response to disasters and for programs aimed at reducing damage from future hurricanes or earthquakes -- was trimmed in the measure passed Thursday night.

"That evoked immediate criticism from emergency management experts.

"'It's difficult to understand the logic behind another round of budget cuts to FEMA at the same time Congress is questioning their ability to respond to future disasters,' said Trina R. Sheets, executive director of the National Emergency Management Association."