[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 49 (Tuesday, March 24, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E395]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        HONORING JUDE KIBODEAUX

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. PETE OLSON

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 24, 2015

  Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I am privileged to interact with some of the 
brightest students in the 22nd Congressional District who serve on my 
Congressional Youth Advisory Council. I have gained much by listening 
to the high school students who are the future of this great nation. 
They provide important insight into the concerns of our younger 
constituents and hopefully get a better sense of the importance of 
being an active participant in the political process. Many of the 
students have written short essays on a variety of topics and I am 
pleased to share them with my House colleagues.
  Jude Kibodeaux attends Dawson High School in Pearland, Texas. The 
essay topic is: select an important event that has occurred in the past 
15 years and explain how that event has changed our country.

       Making landfall on August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina was 
     the most destructive disaster in United States history. A 
     Category 3 storm with winds faster than 100 miles per hour, 
     the storm took a great toll on the country. Its social cost, 
     at least in New Orleans, is obvious. Nearly 2,000 of its 
     citizens were killed by the storm, and thousands more were 
     displaced by the grievous destruction it caused. Even today, 
     nine years later, the city is still recovering from its 
     losses. But the effects of Hurricane Katrina were not limited 
     to just the area hit. The winds of Katrina were felt 
     throughout the entire nation, if not through physical 
     destruction then through economic downturn and political 
     discontent.
       The cost of the storm can be measured not only in deaths 
     but also in dollars. This latter loss was not as tragic as 
     the former, but it was significant enough to impact the rest 
     of the country. The damage caused cost, according to the 
     lowest estimate, a staggering $96 billion, only $40 billion 
     of which was insured. And this does not even account for 
     losses in the various affected industries. Its most serious 
     impact was on oil production. Oil pipelines and offshore rigs 
     were destroyed, causing national oil prices to rise and 
     pushing the government to tap into the Strategic Petroleum 
     Reserve. The sugar industry, worth $500 million annually in 
     Louisiana alone, was also severely damaged. Chemical plants 
     in the area, which accounted for one-fourth of the country's 
     chemical production, were not spared either. The losses 
     suffered by these important industries were great enough to 
     stint the economic growth of the whole country. After 
     Katrina, national GDP growth decreased from 3.8% to 1.3%. 
     With all of these losses taken into account, the total cost 
     of the hurricane amounts to $250 billion. It was undoubtedly 
     a severe setback for the economy.
       The government stepped in to try and alleviate the storm's 
     effects, but its efforts were not as cohesive as many would 
     have hoped. On the federal level, it was days before the 
     Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), an organization 
     created for this kind of situation, got its act together in 
     New Orleans. And even once it had established itself, FEMA 
     lacked an effective strategy and had a minimal impact on the 
     recovery. The organization was evidently unprepared to do its 
     duty. The director of FEMA, Michael D. Brown, was forced to 
     resign in the fallout, and the popularity of President George 
     W. Bush plummeted, the beginning of a trend that ended Bush's 
     political career. There was also much criticism at the local 
     level. Most was directed toward the mayor of New Orleans, Ray 
     Nagin, for having understated the severity of the storm 
     before it hit and responded inadequately in the aftermath. He 
     managed to stay in office but faced serious criticism, making 
     it difficult for him to implement policies. In all, Katrina 
     caused just as much a political disturbance as an economic 
     one.
       The winds of Katrina had proven themselves the winds of 
     change as they caused great disturbances to the society, 
     economy and government of this nation. Homes destroyed by the 
     hurricane can still be seen today in New Orleans, serving as 
     a testament to the lasting effect this storm has had.

                          ____________________