Ranking Member Thompson Urges Congress to Fund the Emergency Supplemental Bill to Help Those Victims Devastated by the Gulf Coast Hurricanes
Ranking Member Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS) today emphasized the need for Congress to fully authorize the emergency supplemental funding for hurricane recovery along the Gulf Coast, as well as vital homeland security matters for fiscal year 2006.
Rep. Thompson said, “85 billion dollars is the largest supplemental bill that has ever come before the House of Representatives, but only 20 billion dollars of this is going to hurricane recovery. That is 714 million dollars less than what the President requested for disaster aid. It is urgent for all members of Congress to rightfully come to the aid of those who have been impaired by this horrific disaster and give them the resources they need so they can effectively rebuild their communities. Fully funding this supplemental will get the ball rolling.”
Congressman Thompson was especially concerned about the ability to help those made homeless by Hurricane Katrina. “Louisianans and Mississippians are in need of help and we should not be turning our backs on the good people of these states,” he said. “It is urgent that we make certain that all evacuees living in tents and campers throughout the Gulf Coast are made whole again.”
As part of the supplemental, provisions for blocking the Dubai Port World deal was also included. The Republican House Leadership, however, did not allow an amendment offered by Representative Martin Sabo (D-MN), which would strengthen how our government reviews foreign takeovers. Congressman Thompson said the way the Dubai port deal was handled demonstrates the risks left unaddressed by the current process used to evaluate foreign ownership issues. “We cannot afford to have a backroom Committee making decisions based on friendships and old business links. The security of Americans is much more important,” said Congressman Thompson.
Congressman Thompson also argued that the continued neglect of securing America’s ports must come to an end, noting that our heroic men and women of the U.S. Coast Guard are defending their homeland with dilapidated like Vietnam-era ships while simultaneously funding for navy shipbuilding is being drastically cut by 250 million dollars. Congressman Thompson said, “In my home state of Mississippi, the Pascagoula shipyard was devastated by Hurricane Katrina. This facility is crucial to the development of the Deepwater program, which the Coast Guard needs to be at the forefront of our war against terrorism. Cutting shipbuilding when port security is allegedly a priority, just quite simply lacks common sense.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Please contact Dena Graziano at (202) 226-2616.
