[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 42, Number 2 (Monday, January 16, 2006)]
[Pages 56-57]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks Prior to a Meeting of Small-Business Owners and Community 
Leaders in New Orleans, Louisiana

January 12, 2006

    It's good to be back in your city. I appreciate the Lieutenant 
Governor and Members of the United States Congress for being here as 
well. I particularly want to thank the small-business owners of New 
Orleans. I'm looking forward to hearing what you have to say about your 
traditions and your hopes, your frustrations. We all share the same 
goal, and that's to have this great city rise again, to be a shining 
part of the South.
    I think this can be a better city, and to this end, I've done a 
couple of things. One, I appointed my friend Don Powell to be down here 
to help implement the strategy developed by the mayor and the Governor 
and Lieutenant Governor. In other words, I believe the best strategy for 
the rebuilding of New Orleans and the revitalization of the parishes 
around New Orleans is for the local folks to design the strategy and to 
have the Federal Government become a partner.
    And I want to thank you for putting a committee together--I know you 
did, as well, Mitch. Powell's job is to come down and help interface and 
interact. I've told the people down here that the Federal Government has 
got a major role to play. So far we've appropriated or made available 
$85 billion in relief along the gulf coast. About $25 billion of that 
has been spent--there's $60 billion in the pipeline, thanks to the good 
work of the Members of the Congress and the United States Senate.
    One issue I do want to touch on is the levees. Now, the mayor made 
it very clear to me that we need a Federal policy, a strong Federal 
policy on the levees in order to encourage investors and investment in 
New Orleans. In other words, if there's any doubt about levees, people 
wouldn't be willing to reinvest in this city. If we couldn't get people 
to reinvest in this city, the recovery wouldn't be as strong as we hope 
it to be.
    Working with the Corps of Engineers, we've put forth a plan that 
said that the levee system will be stronger and better than the previous 
levee system. And we put a request in for $3.1 billion, plus money to 
study how possibly to make this system even better. Unfortunately, at 
the very last minute in the appropriations process, some Members of 
Congress moved $1.4 billion of that $3.1 billion to projects not 
directly related to New Orleans and the surrounding area. And so, in 
order to make sure that this city gets the money necessary to make sure 
that the levees are stronger and better, Congress needs to restore that 
$1.4 billion directly into projects for New Orleans and the surrounding 
parishes. I'm looking forward to working with the Members of the 
Congress to make sure that money is restored.
    Secondly, I understand that one of the keys to success is going to 
be private-sector initiatives. That's why we've got the small-business 
owners here and the mayor--[inaudible]--responsible for making sure New 
Orleans is well represented to the rest of the country, and that is 
Stephen, who is a part of the Chamber. One way to make sure that the 
private sector leads the recovery for New Orleans is to make sure the 
tax laws encourage investment. And I want to thank the Members of 
Congress for passing the GO Zone legislation which encourages 
investment. And that will be helpful for the folks here.
    And finally, I know housing is a particularly difficult issue, an 
important issue. You can't have a revitalized New Orleans unless people 
have a place to live. And we look forward to working with the mayor and 
the State on implementing the vision, but want to remind people that in 
the new appropriations bill I signed is $11.5 billion of CDBG money. In 
Mississippi, the Governor intends to use that money on uninsured 
housing--to pay for the uninsured folks who didn't have flood insurance. 
And the law is written so that the State,

[[Page 57]]

in working in conjunction with the local authorities, can spend that 
money in a way to help recovery.
    We're aware of the issues here. I'm looking forward to hearing more 
from you all about how we can continue to work together. I will tell 
you, the contrast between when I was last here and today, Stephen, is 
pretty dramatic. It may be hard for you to see, but from when I first 
came here to today, New Orleans is reminding me of the city I used to 
come to visit. It's a heck of a place to bring your family. It's a great 
place to find some of the greatest food in the world and some wonderful 
fun. And I'm glad you got your infrastructure back on its feet. I know 
you're beginning to welcome citizens from all around the country here to 
New Orleans. And for folks around the country who are looking for a 
great place to have a convention or a great place to visit, I'd suggest 
coming here to the great New Orleans.
    Anyway, thank you all very much.

Note: The President spoke at 11:12 a.m. in the New Orleans Metropolitan 
Convention Center and Visitors Bureau, Inc. In his remarks, he referred 
to Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco and Lt. Gov. Mitchell J. Landrieu of 
Louisiana; Donald E. Powell, Chairman, Federal Deposit Insurance 
Corporation, who is coordinating Federal gulf coast relief efforts; 
Mayor C. Ray Nagin of New Orleans, LA; Stephen J. Perry, president and 
chief executive officer, New Orleans Metropolitan Convention and 
Visitors Bureau; and Gov. Haley Barbour of Mississippi. A tape was not 
available for verification of the content of these remarks.