[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 108 (Friday, September 2, 2005)]
[House]
[Page H7634]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     HURRICANE KATRINA SUPPLEMENTAL

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Washington (Mr. Baird) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BAIRD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to extend my personal 
condolences, that of my family and all of the constituents I am 
privileged to represent, to the families and victims of this terrible 
natural disaster. I almost did not come down here today because I am 
painfully aware that nothing we can say here is going to make the kind 
of difference that we would like to make.
  The $10.5 billion will make some difference, but it is very small in 
comparison to the magnitude of the suffering. What I think myself and 
all of my colleagues would rather to be doing is being down there in 
New Orleans helping with the effort. We would like to be giving water 
to those thirsty, comfort to those who have lost loved ones, and help 
begin the rebuilding progress with our own hands.
  We are not able to be there because we are not needed as much as the 
rescue personnel. While we would like to be there, we have constituents 
calling and asking tough questions, and I think it is incumbent upon us 
to respond to some of those tough questions.
  Constituents are asking: Why was the preparation not better? Why is 
it taking so long to rescue people and provide basic food and shelter 
and clothing? Why are oil companies who are already enjoying record 
profits being able to take what seems to be exorbitant profit from even 
this catastrophe?
  I do not have the answer to all of those, but some things we should 
consider and the American people have a right to know, the American 
people have a right to know that for the past 5 years the 
administration has proposed draconian cuts to the Corps of Engineers' 
budgets, including nearly a 50 percent cut to hurricane flood 
prevention in the very area now affected by this tragedy.
  It would be fair to call it a natural disaster, but in this case this 
natural disaster was aided and abetted by budget cuts that inhibited 
the ability of the Corps of Engineers to prevent the devastating damage 
that we have seen, and I think the American people have a right to know 
that.
  Government in the end is about choices, and choices have 
consequences. If we choose tax cuts in the short term for some of the 
wealthiest Americans, and in exchange for those tax cuts we cut the 
budget for the Corps of Engineers for flood control, for harbor 
maintenance and for all of the other things that the Corps does, we see 
the consequences.
  I serve on the Water Resources Subcommittee, and we have oversight 
over the Corps, and when the administration has come with these 
proposed cuts they have been supported by groups like Taxpayers for 
Common Sense. And I and some of my colleagues have asked, help us 
understand something. If we spend a few dollars today to save hundreds 
or thousands of dollars and countless lives tomorrow, how is it common 
sense to not spend those dollars?
  It may look in the short term more politically appealing that we have 
cut the terrible Corps of Engineers and we have saved pork spending, 
but if in the long run what you have done is failed to maintain your 
levees, failed to provide flood control prevention, failed to prepare 
for precisely this disaster, you have been beyond penny wise and pound 
foolish, you have been irresponsible. And I regret to say that I 
believe the policies of this administration with regard to Corps of 
Engineers projects have been precisely that. And tragically, the people 
of New Orleans are suffering the consequences.
  We have made other choices. We have chosen to send the National Guard 
and military and American dollars and other resources overseas to Iraq, 
and now we are stretched in our economy's ability to fund this relief 
effort. We will do so because we must and should do so, but the $300 
billion spent in Iraq could be certainly better used by the people in 
the southeast.
  We have chosen to allow energy companies to raise their prices 
without any constraint at all, and now consumers who used to be paying 
$20 to $30 to fill their tanks are paying $80 to $90 and this will have 
a devastating effect on our economy.
  In closing, I want to commend the citizens in the region affected who 
are pulling together in spite of what they see as a lack of government 
support to help one another in a time of need, and I want to commend 
the people of my own district and districts around the country who are 
digging deep in their wallets and resources.
  I know school groups are gathering clothing and having fund-raising 
drives. These young people deserve to be commended, and I urge all 
Americans to pitch in and do whatever we can to help the victims of 
this tragedy.




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