[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 20 (Thursday, February 16, 2006)]
[House]
[Page H355]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    THE VICTIMS OF HURRICANE KATRINA

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Boozman). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Corrine Brown) is recognized 
for 5 minutes.
  Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, as I said in my 1-minute 
and I want to repeat, because so many Members and people from all over 
the country went to the great celebration of the life of Coretta Scott 
King, her words: ``Struggle is a never ending process. Freedom is never 
really won. You earn it and you win it in every generation.''
  And clearly we have a failure in this generation. If you would take a 
look, as President Carter said, at the faces of the Katrina victims: 
the faces of the poor, old, black and white, poor, infrastructure not 
in place. Thousands of people died because of the inefficient 
government. The report that was released, ``A Failure of Initiative,'' 
was released by the House Select Committee on Katrina, which criticized 
the poor preparation for the response to Hurricane Katrina. We all know 
that the slow response to Hurricane Katrina led to mass destruction in 
the gulf region, particularly in New Orleans. The loss of lives, the 
loss of homes. But those were just a few problems which were revealed. 
But the sad fact is that those conditions exist today. Six months later 
those conditions still exist. The question I ask now is whether the 
Bush administration is prepared today for a disaster of any proportion, 
man made or natural disaster.
  There is no question that the Bush administration failed in its 
response to Hurricane Katrina. The sad thing is, and I want to repeat, 
that it continues to fail the victims of the storm today. I am calling 
on the people's House. The Congressional Black Caucus leadership has 
put together a comprehensive bill, H.R. 4197, a bill that would lead to 
the recovery of the gulf coast region for the scope of Hurricane 
Katrina's massive devastation, some of the points made in the 
committee's report and one that we made today in our press conference.
  This devastation stands today, 6 months later. The region of New 
Orleans looks like a hurricane disaster, bombed-out area. It sends a 
serious indictment that we can spend $6 billion a month in Iraq, and 
yet we cannot solve the problems right here at home.
  Where is the leadership in this House? Where is the leadership in the 
other body? And where is the leadership in the Bush administration? And 
I am starting with the top, the President, George W. Bush.
  And I thank God that when we had our disasters in Florida that we had 
another administration that we worked with, the Clinton administration. 
I did not deal with the FEMA that was inept. Because we have had fires 
in Florida, we have had tornadoes in Florida, we have had hurricane 
after hurricane in Florida; but we dealt with a different 
administration, an administration that was willing to come to the 
community, that one piece of paper, if it was not filled out, we were 
able to get services. And how do you get that piece of paper? Well, we 
controlled that piece of paper.
  God help us. God help America. And will the people in the people's 
House speak up for the people in the gulf region.
  (1) The failure of a complete evacuation of New Orleans;
  (2) Levees protecting New Orleans were not built for the most severe 
hurricanes, leading to a breach in the system;
  (3) The collapse of local law enforcement and lack of effective 
public communications led to civil unrest and further delayed relief.
  These are just a few of the problems which reveal that the government 
was not adequately prepared for a disaster of this proportion. The 
question that I ask now is whether the government is prepared today for 
a disaster of any proportion, man-made or natural.
  There is no question the Bush administration failed in its response 
to Hurricane Katrina. The sad thing is that it continues to fail the 
victims of the storm still today.
  Along with my colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus, we are 
urging the Bush administration to support our hurricane relief bill, 
H.R. 4197, a bill that if passed into law, would be a great first step 
towards the recovery and restoration of the gulf coast region.

            General Message Points for CBC Press Conference

       The House Select Committee Report on Katrina, ``A Failure 
     of Initiative,'' is a scathing indictment of the incompetence 
     of the actions of the Bush Administration and the federal 
     government.
       Unfortunately, almost six months after Hurricane Katrina 
     devastated the Gulf Coast region, the incompetence of the 
     Bush Administration continues everyday to the detriment of 
     the 1.5 million people who were displaced.
       Natural disasters will continue to occur and we are not 
     prepared to handle them. Man-made disasters may happen 
     unexpectedly, and we clearly are not prepared to handle them 
     either.
       The Congressional Black Caucus has been active 
     legislatively and we have been in regular contact with the 
     people of the Gulf Coast region. We are in the planning 
     stages of scheduling another visit to the region and holding 
     a hearing in Washington around our legislation and related 
     topics. We will also be holding the people in decision-making 
     positions, like the President, Secretary Chertoff, the FEMA 
     director, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and 
     the Congressional leadership in the House and Senate 
     accountable for their actions.
                                  ____

       Washington, DC.--With respect to the House Select Committee 
     Report on Hurricane Katrina, Congresswoman Corrine Brown made 
     the following statement:
       I would like to begin with a quote from Coretta Scott King: 
     ``Struggle is a never ending process. Freedom is never really 
     won. You earn it and win it in every generation.''
       My colleagues and I in the Congressional Black Caucus, the 
     Hispanic Caucus, and the Asian Caucus, were utterly 
     disappointed upon reading the report, ``A Failure of 
     Initiative,'' which was released by the House Select 
     Committee on Katrina, and criticizes the poor preparation and 
     response to the hurricane.
       We all know that the slow response to Hurricane Katrina led 
     to the massive destruction of the Gulf Coast region, 
     particularly New Orleans. The numerous warnings, inadequate 
     planning and apathy in preparing the region for the scope of 
     Hurricane Katrina's massive devastation are some of the 
     points made in the Committee's report.
       Unfortunately, the government's botched response has ruined 
     the lives of millions of Americans, who are now forced to go 
     without the most basic human needs. In the report, The Select 
     Committee identified failures at all levels of government 
     which led to the destruction of the region.

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