Clyburn on the Five Year Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina

Statement

House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn today commented on the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina's landfall in the Gulf Coast Region.

"Five years ago this weekend, America watched in horror as Katrina made landfall and the Gulf Coast region was devastated in a way we had never seen before. In the face of government inaction, Democrats in Congress made a commitment to help the region rebuild, renew and recover--a partnership for the future. We focused on critical areas of education, health care, housing, infrastructure, public safety and storm protection.

"And when we took over the majority in 2007, the New Direction Congress passed a Gulf Coast Recovery package which provided assistance to help bolster levees, restore the coastline, recruit teachers, keep schools open, maintain health facilities, assist farmers and fishermen, provide housing assistance, assist small businesses, and retain law enforcement and other essential government employees. We also strengthened the Road Home program and waived the local matching requirement under the Stafford Act, allowing the critical local resources to be used to move projects forward and restore communities. To date Congress has appropriated over $120 billion in emergency funding for infrastructure repair, education, housing, health care and assistance for individuals and businesses.

"In addition, the Obama Administration, in contrast to its predecessor, has had a much stronger presence in the region. The Administration has cut bureaucratic red tape to shake loose funding for recovery projects, moved more residents toward long-term housing, improved storm protection and invested in health care, education and infrastructure.

"Five years later, our partnership has not wavered. When the media spotlight turned away, we were still there, day after day and year after year, because we knew that disaster could strike in anyone's back yard. We have a responsibility as fellow Americans to respond. And I think we have learned some lessons along the way--that if we avoid finger-pointing and work together on common-sense results in the region we can move communities from recovery to revitalization. We have also discovered that the resilient spirit of the Gulf Coast and the generosity of the American people have renewed our faith in this country and the power of its people. But we know our work is not done. On this anniversary, we pledge to continue to walk with you, step by step, sunshine or storm, on the road from recovery to revitalization."

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