Posted on 12/07/2005 11:15:11 AM PST by HostileTerritory
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Congressional failures to approve emergency funding for roads, schools and housing construction have stalled Mississippi efforts to rebuild after Hurricane Katrina, the state's Republican governor testified Wednesday.
Without such help, Mississippi businesses are unable to decide where to relocate and rebuild -- potentially costing the state jobs and chilling its economy, said Gov. Haley Barbour. His comments were among the sharpest criticism by a top Republican from the hardest-hit states of Congress and Bush administration relief efforts.
''We are at a point where our recovery and renewal efforts are stalled because of inaction in Washington, D.C., and the delay has created uncertainty that is having very negative effects on our recovery and rebuilding,'' said Barbour, a strong ally of House Speaker Dennis Hastert and former Republican National Committee chairman.
''It is taking the starch out of people who've worked so hard to help themselves and their neighbors,'' Barbour told a House panel investigating the government's preparations and response to Katrina.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
ABC Radio News is crowing about this...they must have used the word "Republican" 10 times to point out who Haley was criticizing.
Don't you think W. would take Haley's call? I think so.
I smell politics, which is Haley's forte.
"We also appreciate the efforts of the federal government. People complain about failures; let me tell you about federal efforts that didn't go wrong. The night Katrina struck, Coast Guard helicopter crews from Mobile conducted search and rescue operations on the Coast. These fearless young men, who hung from helicopters on ropes, dangling through the air in the dark that first night, pulled people off of roofs and out of trees. By the first Friday these Coast Guard daredevils had lifted 1700 Mississippians to safety by hoisting them into helicopters. Later that week, the U.S. Department of Transportation began providing fuel for all our emergency responders and critical operations, which was essential in our recovery efforts. During the relief and recovery stages the federal government has pumped resources in to help us.
These efforts have been enormous, but those efforts haven't been perfect, far from it. From the outset there were problems and shortages. Some were the inevitable result of our state's bearing the brunt of the largest and worst natural disaster in American history, which obliterated all systems: electricity, water, sewer, roads, bridges, communications. We found ourselves having to scramble, adjust, innovate, make do. Our efforts weren't perfect either, not by any means. But the spirit of our people pulled us through. Our people are strong, resilient, self-reliant. They're not whiners; they're not into victim hood. From day one they hitched up their britches and did what had to be done: they helped themselves and helped their neighbors. Their spirit has been an inspiration to me, and it was and is the key to relief, recovery, rebuilding and renewal.
But here, more than 100 days after Katrina made landfall, our people face a problem they can't overcome or do anything to help themselves. Today the most important response needed by our people is for Congress to act to provide the necessary funding so we can rebuild our infrastructure which is critical to our renewal. I am not diminishing the importance of the ongoing recovery efforts."
I only read "Congress" in his statement.
Did the government do anything to rebuild San Francisco after the quake on 08?
Does this really surprise anyone?
Washington is always working so quick and efficiently. /sarc
I dont see it as an indictment of the Pres...its an indictment of the bureaucracy
If the congress critters would quit trying to bring down the president and his staff, they would have plenty of time to devote to the Gulf Coast destruction. The dims (party of no) bitching, slandering, false accusations, and finger pointing takes up way too much time.
Exactly. Bobby Jindal said the same thing and everyone said he was bashing the president. It's the red tape that is frustrating. You can evaluate the federal response without blaming President Bush. If we don't take a look at how this has been handled on all levels then we won't learn from the obvious mistakes and make adjustments for the next big disaster.
It's kind of like taxes, it's a fact of life.
No, the Democrats have blocked the common-sense appropriation for additional recovery funds, they SAY because there is a lot more needed, but in reality I think they just want to force another government failure so they can win back control.
actually the feds, understandly dragging feet on any aid for LA, are also doing the same for MS, which was devastated.
If you haven't followed this story long enough to figure out that Barbour is a very different person from Blanco and handles himself accordingly, you should review his public efforts and comments.
Just because someone says the feds are dragging their feet and it is impacting any hope of economic recovery in the (devastated) region doesn't mean it isn't true.
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