|
|
News
Release
Congressman Bob Etheridge
North Carolina
August
31, 2006
Contact:
Joanne Peters
Phone:
(202) 225-4531
Etheridge
Announces Priorities to Protect North Carolina, Rebuild Gulf Coast
WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. Bob
Etheridge has announced a set of priorities to protect American and rebuild
the Gulf Coast today, following a three-day tour of the region.
"Hurricane Katrina
exposed severe faults in our emergency preparedness and response system,
and Congress must make the changes necessary to protect lives and property.
These priorities will not only help to rebuild lives in the Gulf Coast,
they will also protect North Carolinians when we have another hurricane."
Etheridge is the only N.C.
member on the House Homeland Security Committee, which overseas the Department
of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Etheridge
was in the Gulf Coast during the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina to view
the progress that has been made in rebuilding the area. While on the trip,
Etheridge participated in prayer and remembrance services, toured New
Orleans, participated in a town hall meeting in Bay St. Louis, MS, on
the issue of unpaid insurance claims and the challenges of rebuilding,
and participated in a policy forum with local leaders.
Among the priorities Etheridge
and other members outlined are:
- Providing a federal response
system that works-including reforming the Stafford Act to cut the
red tape that is delaying urgent funding priorities; creating evacuation
plans and disaster response systems with local and state governments
at the table; and putting in place a contracting system prior to disasters
that eliminates no-bid contracts and considers instate companies 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.
- 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; 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 ensuring that all federal resources are available
for the rebuilding and recovery of the educational system; accelerating
FEMA reimbursements, and providing substantive incentives for teachers
to return to the impacted areas including housing, higher pay, certain
insurance, tenure reinstatement and health benefits.
-30-
|