UPDATE: The Romney campaign appears to stand by Mitt Romney’s earlier statements about FEMA, detailed below.

During the GOP primary debates, Romney was asked about FEMA and whether it should only be funded on a case by case basis, or whether states should take on a greater role for disaster relief rather than the federal government.

Romney’s reply? “Absolutely.”

He then went off on a rant about sending things back to the states, and “even better” to the private sector – suggesting that FEMA’s responsibilities be sent back to the states, or “even better” the private sector.