[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 14]
[House]
[Page 19644]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                            KATRINA RESPONSE

  (Mr. EMANUEL asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, there are three ways to respond to the 
crisis along the gulf coast: rebuilding, restoring, and retrospection. 
We must pinpoint the errors made prior to the storm and flooding, 
develop an action plan on what needs to be done to ensure that the 
response failures do not happen again, and focus on rebuilding people's 
lives.
  Pointing fingers and attributing blame does little to put our country 
back together again. On the other hand, acting Pollyannish, as if 
everything went according to plan, would be dangerous. Failing to 
respond in a time of need is unacceptable.
  Here are four things we must begin immediately to help folks put 
their lives back together: first, anyone affected by this tragedy 
should be exempted from the recently enacted bankruptcy laws. Second, 
we need to make sure the kids whose lives have been turned upside down 
receive universal health care and an education. Those seeking a higher 
education will receive a $3,000 voucher. Third, we need to start 
reconstruction from housing to highways. New Orleans and the rest of 
the gulf coast must come back better and safer than before. Fourth, we 
need to immediately begin to restore the region's natural buffer zones.
  Mr. Speaker, in a crisis people look to their fellow countrymen, and 
they are looking to this country. It is time to start the rebuilding, 
the restoring, and the retrospection.

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