Cornyn Statement on President's Visit to Texas
Press Release
Cornyn Statement on President's Visit to Texas
Says Federal Government Must Meet Its Responsibilities in Ike Aftermath, Treat Texas on Par with Past Disasters
Sen. Cornyn participates in a briefing on Hurricane Ike with U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff.
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, joined President Bush today in visiting Houston and Galveston to participate in a briefing on Hurricane Ike's damage and recovery efforts at Ellington Field, an aerial tour of affected areas and a briefing at the Galveston Emergency Operations Center. Sen. Cornyn personally urged President Bush to cover 100 percent of the cost share as a part of his ongoing efforts to secure federal funding and resources for Texas in the wake of Hurricane Ike.
Earlier today, Sen. Cornyn commended the President's decision to extend the duration of the 100 percent federal cost share for debris removal from the original 72 hours to a 14-day period retroactive to the date of the major disaster declaration. Sens. Cornyn and Hutchison, along with eight members of Congress, had asked for this extension in a letter sent yesterday to the President.
"I spoke to President Bush personally today telling him that Texas intended to be, and expected to be, treated on par with the way victims of Hurricane Katrina were covered when it came to cost share. We are urging the Administration to adopt a 100 percent federal cost share for public and private assistance under the law. The reason why I think this is important is because the alternative - legislation to mandate' 100 percent of the cost share - would likely be held hostage by the Democratic majority to unrelated spending requests. The most certain way to ensure Texans are treated fairly is for the Administration to embrace that responsibility on a discretionary basis as they have to date. I hope the President will follow our request and do just that," Sen. Cornyn said.
Sen. Cornyn's visit to Texas with President Bush comes as a follow up to his visit this weekend, where he surveyed the regions that suffered a direct hit from Hurricane Ike in an aerial and ground tour of Beaumont, Galveston and other affected areas along with Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison.
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