Pump to the River Press Release
Reduces La. Levee Cost-Share
Senate Appropriations Committee will vote on legislation tomorrow.
WASHINGTON -- United States Senator Mary L. Landrieu, D-La., and Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., today announced the inclusion of $8.7 billion for Gulf Coast hurricane recovery and protection in the Emergency Supplemental Spending bill for Iraq and Afghanistan. Sen. Landrieu's push for additional funding for levees, criminal justice needs, health care and housing for low-income hurricane survivors has been included in the bill, which the Appropriations Committee will vote on tomorrow.
"This Senate version of the Supplemental contains a strong Katrina and Rita package that includes funding for our most critical ongoing needs along the Gulf Coast," Sen. Landrieu said. "Through Senator Byrd's leadership and committed partnership with our state, the legislation builds on a strong foundation of $5.8 billion for 100-year flood protection levees for Southeast Louisiana. The Committee listened to my request to reduce Louisiana's share to historic cost-share percentages, saving the state $200 million, and added the flexibility to pay our share over 30 years instead of three.
"When I speak with my colleague from Louisiana, Senator Landrieu, I can see pain in her eyes and hear in her voice the heavy heart she carries for Louisianans who were affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita," Chairman Byrd said. "I share her concern for those Gulf Coast residents who continue to recover from the devastation that occurred nearly three years ago. That is why, working with Senator Landrieu, we have included more than $8.7 billion -- $3 billion above the President's request -- to help hurricane victims. The road to recovery is not an easy path to take and we cannot expect the people of Louisiana to travel it alone."
"This bill will infuse crucial dollars to mitigate the rising crime in New Orleans and across South Louisiana," Sen. Landrieu added. "We will work with civic groups, such as the New Orleans Crime Coalition, to distribute these dollars and help our communities to safely rebuild.
"The Supplemental also sends vital dollars to six hospitals in Louisiana that are struggling to care for our communities. Since the storms, more than half of the New Orleans area hospitals and healthcare facilities have not reopened. More than 6,000 physicians have left the Gulf Coast since the storms and have not yet returned. When patients are brought to the hospital by ambulance, 70 percent of them remain in the ambulance for two hours before a room can be found.
"These are modest and wise additions to the President's request, and I call on the House of Representatives to carefully consider this very real domestic emergency along the Gulf Coast. This Katrina and Rita package must be included in the version that Congress sends to the President's desk."
While the House of Representatives did include significantly more restrictive levee funding in its version of the Supplemental that is expected to be voted on tomorrow, it did not include a Katrina and Rita recovery package like that secured by Sens. Landrieu and Byrd. After final passage by the House and Senate, the two chambers will negotiate the two versions of the bill before it is sent to the President's Desk. The President has opposed including any domestic funding in the bill, and has threatened a veto.
Levees
The Senate bill includes $5.8 billion for 100-year flood protection with a $1.3 billion state share. Louisiana's share was reduced from $1.5 billion, which President Bush had requested in his annual budget and the House concurred with. The cost share for Southeast Louisiana Flood Control projects (SELA) was maintained at a historical cost share of 75 percent federal to 25 percent state, rather than an increase to 35 percent as the President had proposed. The cost share for Lake Pontchartrain and vicinity hurricane protection project was also maintained at a historical cost share of 70 percent federal to 30 percent state, rather President Bush's proposed increase to 35 percent by the state.
- $75 million to move public facilities from the Port of New Orleans to accelerate the closing of the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet (MRGO).
- $35 million for Mississippi River dredging. This funding means the Army Corps of Engineers will not have to reprogram money from other projects to complete necessary dredging of the river.
- Language directing the Corps to look at options for developing plans for permanent pumping of storm water in the New Orleans metropolitan area, taking into account the operational challenges that arise during major storms. Proposed plans include slow paving of outflow canals and the "Pump to the River" project in Jefferson Parish.
Criminal Justice
The Senate Supplemental includes $75 million for criminal justice needs along the Gulf Coast, of which $50 million will go to Louisiana. Sen. Landrieu will work with the Department of Justice and the state to distribute the money in line with a comprehensive strategy developed by the New Orleans Crime Coalition, a group of business groups and nonprofits that are working to reduce rising crime in the New Orleans region. Priorities of the New Orleans Crime Coalition include hiring more police officers to fill vacancies; repairing the city's damaged crime lab; hiring more prosecutors and attorneys; purchasing equipment that was destroyed, such as radios and laptops; and drug treatment programs for adults and juveniles.
Hospitals
The Senate bill includes $350 million for hospitals in Louisiana and Mississippi, and Louisiana will be allocated approximately 45 percent of the total, or about $157 million. The Louisiana funds will go to six hospitals in Jefferson and Orleans Parishes: West Jefferson General Hospital, East Jefferson General Hospital, Ochsner, Touro Rehab, Tulane and LSU Interim Hospital (Medical Center of Louisiana at New Orleans).
Housing
The Senate Supplemental also includes $76 million for 3,000 Permanent Supportive Housing Vouchers. These vouchers provide homes and case management services for extremely low-income people, including seniors and those with disabilities who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. This provision was previously included in a 2006 Supplemental but was stripped out in negotiations with the House of Representatives and the White House.
By January 2007, the homeless population in New Orleans almost doubled from its pre-Katrina levels to an estimated 12,000. These homeless residents are living in abandoned housing, on the streets, in cars or in limited shelters or other homeless-designated housing.
As part of the Road Home program, Louisiana committed to providing 3,000 permanent supportive housing units for elderly, disabled and other homeless residents most at-risk. However, these units have been coming online without necessary federal funding.
Minority Business Provision
The Senate Supplemental includes language to extend 8(a) business development program eligibility by 24 months for program participants in Katrina-impacted areas in Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi.
The 8(a) business development program helps minority entrepreneurs access Federal contracts and allows companies to be certified for increments of three years. However, as currently structured, the program allows businesses to participate for nine years only after which they can never re-apply or get back into the program. But many minority firms in the Gulf Coast were disrupted by Hurricane Katrina and lost valuable time for participating in the 8(a) program. The provision provides these businesses an additional two years to participate.
- $15 million for historic renovation of Jackson Barracks.
