FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 30, 2006

CONTACT: Brendan Daly/Jennifer Crider 202-226-7616

House Democrats Announce a New Direction for the Gulf Coast

Priorities to Rebuild the Region, a Federal Response System that Works

Washington, D.C. – At a press conference this morning in New Orleans, House Democrats announced their priorities for a New Direction for the Gulf Coast.  The announcement came at the end of a three-day trip with 25 House Democrats including House Democratic Leadership and members of the Gulf Coast.   The trip was organized by the House Democratic Caucus’s Katrina Task Force to mark the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.  To date, 78 House Democrats have come to the region on close to 200 trips since Katrina hit. 

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi said: “Hurricane Katrina challenged the conscience of our country and it is clear that we have not met that challenge.  At the federal level, we must be driven by a sense of urgency that matches the damage done and the positive spirit of renewal of the people of the region.  We owe them no less.”

“An unprecedented disaster requires and unprecedented response,” said James E Clyburn, Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus.  “One year has passed since Hurricane Katrina devastated this region and we have yet to see the federal government assert the competence and compassion to respond to the vital needs of the Gulf Coast. That is why we have outlined a New Direction for the Gulf Coast which includes a federal system that works to rebuild the region and is on the ready to respond to any disaster, whether it’s natural or terrorist attack.”

“America needs to come together to help the Gulf Coast speed up the pace of its recovery,” said Steny Hoyer, House Democratic Whip.  “There is no acceptable reason for the wealthiest nation in the world to not have made more progress in repairing the communities, families and lives devastated a year ago.  The survivors of Hurricane Katrina, like the rest of the country, are thirsting for a new direction that will put them on the road to rebuilding their lives and fulfilling their dreams.”

The principles were drawn from a trip that included not only prayer and remembrance, but a tour of the still-desolate neighborhoods of New Orleans, a town hall meeting in Bay St. Louis, Miss. on the issue of unpaid insurance claims and the challenges of rebuilding, and a policy forum where local leaders were linked with federal lawmakers on critical issues to this region.

The priorities members outlined include:

Providing a federal response system that works—including reforming the Stafford Act to cut the red tape that is delaying urgent funding priorities; reforming a bureaucratic, sluggish, pony-express system of moving resources to the people who need them, into a 21st Century, efficient operation; creating evacuation plans and disaster response systems with local and state governments at the table; and putting in place a contracting system that reward the ability to get the job done instead of a "pay to play" mechanism of no-bid contracting that benefits cronies. Local, in-state companies will be considered first.

Improving housing, to bring people of the Gulf Coast back home—including implementing a HUD voucher program to replace the FEMA program wrought with waste, fraud and abuse; extending the low income housing tax credit; assisting low-income homeowners in their efforts to repair or replace damaged homes; and preserving existing federal housing resources in the Gulf region.

Reforming a complicated and unfair insurance industry—including a flood insurance buy-in act for those who live outside the flood hazard areas on FEMA flood maps; reforming disaster insurance and creating an all-perils insurance coverage program (National Disaster Insurance) for all Americans and all natural disasters.

Bolstering our levees and restoring our coastline—including rebuilding barrier islands, restoring the marsh and wetlands and providing for full resources to build and maintain optimal levee protection; narrowing the Corps of Engineers’ ability to ignore congressional intent with its regulations, guidelines and policy; devising a plan to handle fast-tracked authorizations, studies and appropriations, cutting red tape and moving resources, in an expedited manner, to their point of use; and ensuring beneficial use of dredged materials in a way that maximizes resources and optimizes the protection from natural disaster of the American public.

Improving the education system, strengthening families—including rebuilding and improving the school systems along the Gulf Coast and New Orleans to state-of-the-art learning centers where children excel and families thrive;  increasing 21st Century grants and ensureing that all federal resources are available for the rebuilding and recovery of the educational system; accelerating FEMA reimbursements,  removing the red tape that is slowing down support to the ravaged school districts and inflicting significant problems on the families of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama; and providing substantive incentives for teachers to return to the impacted areas including housing, higher pay, certain insurance, tenure reinstatement and health benefits.

“ Democrats are united in presenting a New Direction for America, one that will make our nation as strong as its people, one that brings opportunity, security, and prosperity to all Americans. ”

Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi