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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Marion Berry (D-AR, 1st) joined over thirty members of House Leadership today on a weekend tour of the Katrina reconstruction efforts in Louisiana and Mississippi. The trip will give members the opportunity to see first-hand how the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Department of Defense (DOD), and the Army Corps of Engineers is spending the $62.3 billion Congress appropriated for rebuilding the Gulf Coast Region.
"I am deeply concerned that so many victims in the Gulf Coast region are still struggling to put their lives back together," said Congressman Berry. "We gave FEMA billions of dollars to restore life to that region and deserve some explanation on where that money is going. I hope we see signs of progress, and can reassure the victims that Congress is committed to helping the Gulf Coast make a full recovery."
The delegation, which includes the Speaker of the House, the House Majority Leader, the House Minority Leader, and members from the House Appropriations Committee, will visit New Orleans and Gulfport, Mississippi to tour areas severely damaged by Hurricane Katrina. The group is scheduled to meet with Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco, New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, FEMA's Deputy Director for Gulf Coast Recovery who is managing all recovery efforts, and a number of local officials throughout the Gulf Coast region.
The three-day trip will include driving tours of several neighborhoods affected by the storm, and visits to a school in New Orleans, a Habitat for Humanity site, a hospital in St. Bernards Parish, and the Conoco Phillips oil refinery. Congressman Berry also intends to closely inspect the levee rehabilitation and construction efforts currently underway to ensure maximum protection for the fast-approaching hurricane season.
As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, Congressman Berry has participated in a number of oversight hearings where officials from FEMA and the Army Corps of Engineers discussed the status of the reconstruction effort. Throughout these hearings, Congressman Berry has expressed his frustration over the slow pace of the recovery process. |
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