As Congressman for Louisiana’s 3rd District, Charlie Melancon represents one of the areas hit hardest by Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita. The rural district stretches along half the Louisiana coast from St. Bernard parish next to New Orleans, to Iberia parish near Lafayette.

Already known for his tireless work ethic and hands-on approach, Melancon gained national attention for his leadership in the Katrina tragedy. In the days after the storm, Melancon worked around the broken federal system and coordinated delivery of over 100 tons of privately donated relief supplies by boat, plane and truck. He emerged as a calm but forceful voice for the “forgotten” parishes of his district which were largely ignored in the first days after the storm.

Hurricane Rita compounded the tragedy brought by Katrina, flooding thousands of additional homes and overwhelming levees that had been spared by Katrina.

When he returned to Washington, Charlie Melancon wasted no time in tackling the thorny political issues of the storm, using his own experiences to illustrate the problems of the slow federal response and calling for an independent commission to investigate Katrina so that other disasters do not needlessly become tragedies.

But Melancon’s primary focus is rebuilding South Louisiana. He led the charge to help local governments avoid bankruptcy and having to lay off first responders and essential workers. He has been a constant critic of bureaucratic red tape and the delays that are prolonging the suffering of his constituents. And he laid out one of the first blueprints for getting Louisiana back on its feet, touching on healthcare, housing, job creation and economic development.

Visit Rep. Charlie Melancon's Official Website

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Typical student loan debt has risen to $17,500.

Source:The College Board