Today's National Debt: $9,214,181,477,776.06
Your Share: $30,372.18
Dear Friend,
This week, dozens of severe storms ripped across five southern states, including Arkansas, inflicting massive and widespread damage affecting many families, communities and towns. My deepest thoughts and prayers are with all those who have been impacted by these fatal storms.
During this time of emergency, I have written to President Bush and asked him to issue an Executive Order to require FEMA to make available all of the manufactured sitting at the Hope airport to all individuals and families who have lost their homes or whose homes were heavily damaged. These manufactured homes were originally purchased for victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, yet they have never been utilized. Instead, they have been parked idly by at the Hope airport since 2005.
Last Friday, former President Bill Clinton and I flew over the Hope airport in route to Texarkana, and as we looked out from the airplane window at this sea of manufactured homes we both shook our heads in disbelief that almost three years after Hurricane Katrina, these units have yet to be put to use despite numerous natural disasters that have left many homeless across America. I believe that if the President were to drive by 7,245 fully furnished and never before used manufactured homes that continue to sit in a pasture at the airport in Hope each week like many of us do, he would find a way to get them to these disaster victims by issuing an Executive Order.
Now is the time for President Bush and FEMA to begin to restore the public’s confidence in them by demonstrating its ability to put these manufactured homes to good use and to react in a timely manner to emergencies for all of the families and communities in need. It is my hope that President Bush and FEMA will get these homes to the families that desperately need them. Regardless, I will continue working in Washington to cut through the bureaucratic red tape to help all those affected by these devastating storms.
Sincerely,
Mike Ross
Please remember that if you have issues related to the federal government such as Social Security, Medicare and veterans benefits, you can visit with staff from my office in a community near you. My office will host community office hours at the following locations, dates and times:
Smackover - February 13th at 9:00 a.m., at the Smackover City Hall located at 201 E. 7th St.;
Junction City - February 13th at 11:00 a.m., at the Junction City City Hall Council Room located at 207 N. Main;
Huttig - February 13th at 2:00 p.m., at the Huttig City Hall located at 100 Frost St.
A recent picture of FEMA’s 7,245 fully furnished and never before used manufactured homes parked at the Hope Airport.
*** As a Member of the United States House of Representatives, I take pride in keeping residents up-to-date on the issues facing our nation. This is why I believe it is vital for me to regularly send out email newsletters to help keep you informed on my work in Congress. These newsletters cover all topics including: our nation's energy crisis, education, agriculture, veteran’s affairs, as well as the ongoing conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
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