U.S. President Barack Obama Tuesday declared a state of emergency in Mississippi, ordering federal aid to help state and local response efforts with handling now-Hurricane Isaac, the White House said. According to a statement from the White House, Obama's declaration authorizes the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to "coordinate all disaster relief efforts which have the purpose of alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population, and to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures." "Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize, and provide at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency. Emergency protective measures, limited to direct federal assistance, will be provided at 75 percent federal funding," the White House said.
