[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 17]
[House]
[Page 23108]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY IN KATRINA'S WAKE

  (Mrs. SCHMIDT asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. SCHMIDT. Mr. Speaker, yesterday I attended a Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure subcommittee meeting entitled ``A 
Vision and Strategy For Rebuilding New Orleans.'' I found it to be 
interesting, and I am excited for the opportunity to help rebuild one 
of America's great cities. It is an undertaking that we must take 
seriously.
  Amid the allegations that Katrina evacuees' relief supplies were 
found in the garages of government officials, it is obvious that there 
is a lot of potential abuse for misspending $100 billion of Federal 
money. It is with this in mind that I felt the need to urge my 
colleagues to exercise discretion when authorizing additional funding.
  Following yesterday's subcommittee meeting, I knew that I had a duty 
to speak on behalf of the American taxpayers. Only after intense 
scrutiny and with due diligence should we appropriate additional funds, 
making sure that government is doing its job, rebuilding the schools 
and infrastructure.
  There were two statements given in testimony that were particularly 
troubling to me. First was the mayor, who wants now to have a light 
rail system to facilitate future evacuations. Now, I am all for 
rebuilding New Orleans, but this is not an opportunity to get your 
Christmas list out and go fishing on pet projects.
  The other was the statement from the Governor. Someone on the 
committee asked how much money Louisiana had spent to date. She had no 
idea. No idea of how much money her State has spent? How can we trust 
this government with our money when it cannot account for its own?
  We have limited resources. This is the American taxpayers' money. We 
need to spend it prudently and wisely. I ask for caution in spending 
American taxpayer dollars.

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