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Much Too Little; Much Too Late: House Katrina Aid Package
Last week, by a vote of 348-71, the House passed a bill to provide $19.1 billion for cleanup and rebuilding of the Gulf Coast in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. H.R. 4939, "The Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense, the Global War on Terror, and Hurricane Recovery, passed six and a half months after Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, despite the efforts of key Republicans to remove Katrina funding from the bill entirely.
The House bill includes welcome, if belated, funding for housing, debris removal, and other important needs. But the package falls woefully short in providing the resources needed to address critical barriers to Gulf rebuilding, and comes way too late to help most survivors. What,s more, the House Republicans voted along party lines to kill key amendments that would have boosted money for stronger levees and rebuilding homes.
NO MONEY TO MAKE LEVEES SAFE
With the 2006 hurricane season just 76 days away, House Republicans killed an amendment to the bill that would have provided $430 million to fortify levees in New Orleans to withstand a hurricane as strong as Katrina (Category 3). The Army Corps of Engineers is now only authorized to rebuild the city,s levees to Category 2 even though some experts predict the chance of a "major (Category 3 or higher) hurricane hitting in 2006 has increased by 18% over last year.
WAY TOO LATE
The House bill, passed over half a year after the hurricanes, comes too late to help many Gulf survivors. For example, the measure includes $4.2 billion in Community Development Block Grants to address housing needs, including $1 billion for rebuilding affordable rental housing important because renters make up the bulk of storm survivors. But New Orleans tenants have been facing evictions since October 2005, and the House rejected an amendment that would have barred FEMA from evicting residents from temporary housing until suitable alternatives are available. What,s more, the Senate isn,t planning a vote on its version of the package until May 9 months after Katrina hit.
PITS GULF STATES AGAINST EACH OTHER
The White House had targeted all of the $4.2 billion in housing assistance for Louisiana, which bore the brunt of the 2005 storms. Yet Republican leaders insisted the money be split with Mississippi and Texas. Rep. William Jefferson,s (D-LA) amendment to add $2 billion to meet Texas housing needs without short-changing Louisiana almost passed, until Republican lawmakers twisted arms to defeat it. "This has put us in a competition for the pittance, the few dollars, said Rep. Charlie Melancon. (D-LA).
Read More
http://counterpunch.org/kromm03182006.html
NO MONEY TO MAKE LEVEES SAFE
With the 2006 hurricane season just 76 days away, House Republicans killed an amendment to the bill that would have provided $430 million to fortify levees in New Orleans to withstand a hurricane as strong as Katrina (Category 3). The Army Corps of Engineers is now only authorized to rebuild the city,s levees to Category 2 even though some experts predict the chance of a "major (Category 3 or higher) hurricane hitting in 2006 has increased by 18% over last year.
WAY TOO LATE
The House bill, passed over half a year after the hurricanes, comes too late to help many Gulf survivors. For example, the measure includes $4.2 billion in Community Development Block Grants to address housing needs, including $1 billion for rebuilding affordable rental housing important because renters make up the bulk of storm survivors. But New Orleans tenants have been facing evictions since October 2005, and the House rejected an amendment that would have barred FEMA from evicting residents from temporary housing until suitable alternatives are available. What,s more, the Senate isn,t planning a vote on its version of the package until May 9 months after Katrina hit.
PITS GULF STATES AGAINST EACH OTHER
The White House had targeted all of the $4.2 billion in housing assistance for Louisiana, which bore the brunt of the 2005 storms. Yet Republican leaders insisted the money be split with Mississippi and Texas. Rep. William Jefferson,s (D-LA) amendment to add $2 billion to meet Texas housing needs without short-changing Louisiana almost passed, until Republican lawmakers twisted arms to defeat it. "This has put us in a competition for the pittance, the few dollars, said Rep. Charlie Melancon. (D-LA).
Read More
http://counterpunch.org/kromm03182006.html
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