Paul votes against disaster aid for Ike victims Paul votes against Ike disaster aid

Congressman says constituents don't want FEMA oversight on coast

Reactions vary to Sen. Ron Paul's opposition to the approved $23 billion package. Reactions vary to Sen. Ron Paul's opposition to the approved $23 billion package. Photo: Julio Cortez, CHRONICLE FILE Photo: Julio Cortez, CHRONICLE FILE Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Paul votes against disaster aid for Ike victims 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

WASHINGTON — When President Bush visited Houston last week, he was surrounded by local politicians eagerly looking for federal assistance behind the destructive Hurricane Ike.

Most jockeyed for the prime, face-time positions next to Bush, the better to show constituents they had his ear. Only one stood conspicuously apart, either hunkered behind the scrum of other politicians or 20 paces out in front of Bush, but nearly always out of camera-range: U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Lake Jackson.

The terrible aftermath of Ike presents an awkward conundrum for Paul.

The former Republican presidential candidate and staunch Constitutionalist has railed against government handouts, and yet his district was one of those hardest-hit by the storm.

On Wednesday, Paul voted against an appropriations bill that included $23 billion in disaster aid for victims of Ike. It was, on the surface, a stand on principle and against the interests of the people he represents.

Whatever Paul meant by it, the congressman and his office declined repeated requests from the Houston Chronicle to explain his vote.

In the end, the measure passed 370-58 in the House.

"In several disasters that have befallen my Gulf Coast district, my constituents have told me many times that they prefer to rebuild and recover without the help of federal agencies like FEMA, which so often impose their own bureaucratic solutions on the owners of private property," Paul wrote in a 2005 column.

Paul voted against government assistance for victims of Hurricane Katrina and later told the Washington Post he had no regrets.

"Is bailing out people that chose to live on the coastline a proper function of the federal government?" Paul said. "Why do people in Arizona have to be robbed in order to support the people on the coast?"

So it was surprising to see Paul's partially obscured face in the clutch of politicians standing cheek-to-jowl while Bush announced federal reimbursement for the housing costs of those displaced by the storm, and federal funding for debris removal.

That, on top of a sizeable effort by FEMA to provide relief including ice, food and tarps. Why did Paul show up for Bush's photo-op if he didn't want federal help for his district?

He did vote for a disaster tax relief bill that will help individuals take expanded deductions, and allow businesses to write off demolition expenses, among other things.

"I've always been a big believer in the strength and ingenuity of the American people," Paul said in a statement released by his office.

In Galveston, some city officials were not pleased.

"That's sad. That's bad," said City Manager Steve LeBlanc.

Council member Karen Mahoney, who represents the West End of the island where damage was extreme, was taken aback.

"I find it very distressing," she said. "He's voting against aid for the region that he represents? I don't find that very representative."

Reactions among Galveston residents were mixed.

"It feels kind of bad for the citizens of Galveston," said Mareia Schreiber while shaking out water-soaked artwork.

But others said Paul's vote did not bother them.

"We've worked hard all our lives," said Gene Lossow, 65, a clerk at the Port of Galveston. "We take care of ourselves. I don't need FEMA or anything else. We got insurance.

"There are too many people who expect the government to take care of them," he said. "But I'm not one of them."

Houston Chronicle reporter Carolyn Feibel contributed to this report from Galveston.

julie.mason@chron.com