March 23, 2007
Contact: Robin Winchell (202) 225-4031
WASHINGTON, DC
- U.S. Rep. Charlie Melancon voted today for the Emergency Supplemental
Appropriations bill, which would provide $6.4 billion in disaster relief for
hurricane recovery along the Gulf
Coast. The bill passed
the House by only one vote. Rep. Melancon had worked with House leadership to
include specific funding and waiver language in the supplemental to help
expedite the recovery from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in south Louisiana.
"People in south Louisiana
are tired of waiting for help from their government," Rep. Melancon
said. "For too long, we have put the rebuilding needs of other
countries before the needs of our own citizens along the Gulf Coast.
This supplemental bill will cut red tape and provide much-needed hurricane
relief money for our farmers, shrimpers, schools, colleges and universities,
and local governments in south Louisiana,
and I am proud to vote for it today."
"I urge my colleagues in the Senate to quickly pass this bill.
Because of new budgetary rules in Congress, the opportunity for this much help
for hurricane victims will not come again. This is the last train leaving the
station, and we need to make sure Louisiana
is on it."
"Much has been made of the language in this bill setting benchmarks
for the war in the Iraq.
This language concerns me and I don't support it, but I don't believe there is
anything in this bill that puts our troops in harm's way. However, voting
against this bill WILL put the people of south Louisiana in harm's way."
"If we let this one chance for $1.3 billion in levee-building money
pass us by, the Members who vote against it are to blame for leaving the people
of south Louisiana
like sitting ducks in the face of the next Katrina or Rita. Hurricane season
begins in only two months, and we can't wait any longer for levee money. We
need comprehensive hurricane protection in south Louisiana, and we need it today."
Among the hurricane recovery needs Rep. Melancon had called for that are
included in the supplemental are: funding for additional agriculture and
fisheries disaster relief, funding construction of the levee protection system
on both the east and west bank in New Orleans and surrounding parishes, money
for K-12 teacher recruitment and higher education assistance, the extension of
a federal grant program for critically needed social services, and billions in
funding for FEMA disaster recovery grants, with no local or state match
required. Also included in the supplemental is language forgiving all community
disaster loans, an initiative Rep. Melancon has been working on with House
Majority Whip James E. Clyburn and other Member of Congress from the Gulf
Coast.
Specifically, the Emergency Supplemental includes the following funding
priorities for Gulf
Coast recovery:
- $260 million for
agriculture and fisheries disaster assistance for all 2005 hurricane
affected areas. This includes:
- $120 million for
fisheries relief. A significant portion of this funding will go to Louisiana for
direct relief for the shrimp and menhaden industries, surveying, and
debris removal along traditional fishing grounds.
- $100 million for
citrus disaster assistance
- $25 million for
livestock disaster assistance
- $15 million for rice
saltwater intrusion disaster assistance
$1.3 billion for east and west bank levee
protection system in New Orleans
and surrounding parishes.
$4.3 billion for FEMA disaster recovery grants.
The state and local match for these grants will be waived, meaning the federal
government will finance 100% of the grants. FEMA disaster recovery grants are
used for vital recovery projects, like repairing sewage and water treatment
facilities; rebuilding public buildings like schools, firehouses, and police
departments; and hauling away debris from the storm. In Louisiana alone, there are over 23,000 of
these public assistance projects to repair and rebuild public buildings and
infrastructure.
$30 million for K-12 education recruitment
assistance (similar to Miller-Melancon RENEWAAL Act introduced in early
March)
$30 million for higher education assistance
(similar to Miller-Melancon RENEWAAL Act introduced in early March)
Extension of FEMA utility subsidy program for
essential parish employees (identical to H.R. 858, which Rep. Melancon
introduced in early February). Will extend for one more year FEMA's authority
to reimburse parish governments for the cost of paying utility bills for
essential government employees still working and living in temporary housing
(i.e., FEMA trailers). Devastated parish governments have used this program as
an incentive to encourage essential employees, such as law enforcement
officers, to stay in the community and continue working for the parish.
Community Disaster Loan forgiveness. (similar
to language in the Hurricane Katrina and Rita Federal Match Relief Act of 2007
introduced by Majority Whip Clyburn, Rep. Melancon, and other members of the
Gulf Coast delegation in February).
Social Services Block Grant extension. SSBG
grants will be available for hurricane-affected areas along the Gulf Coast
for an extra year, until September 30, 2008. Rep. Melancon is working to alter
the language so that SSBG funding is extended even further - September 30, 2010
- before the final supplemental bill is passed. SSBG funding provides
critically needed social services including programs for mental health, child
welfare, and the treatment of addictive disorders.
Extension of education waiver (identical to
H.R. 1262, which Rep. Melancon introduced in early March). Will extend a
federal waiver for one more year - until September 30, 2008 - that gives school
districts impacted by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita more flexibility in drawing
down and utilizing federal money for recovery efforts. Specifically, the waiver
will allow schools to continue to use state money for the 10% local match
required by FEMA in order for them to be eligible for the 90% federal
reimbursement for recovery projects. The bill will also allow school districts
to use federal funds appropriated by Congress in the Defense/Emergency
Supplemental Appropriations bill (H.R. 2863) to pay for expenses state money
would normally be used for, such as teachers' salaries and school operational
needs. Last fall, Rep. Melancon was an original co-sponsor of successful
legislation that extended the waiver until September 30th, 2007.
$25 million for Small Business Administration
disaster loans.
$80 million for HUD tenant-based rental
assistance.
$10 million for HUD and FEMA Inspector General
offices, to increase scrutiny of hurricane recovery dollars.
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