Their Spirit Hasn't Faltered

I was heartened by this second anniversary trip to the Hurricane affected region along the Gulf Coast. Last year the Democratic Caucus went down to Louisiana and Mississippi to hear from the people and determine where needs still existed. We made a promise last year, and when the Democratic majority took office we kept that promise and passed several critical pieces of legislation that addressed some of the most dire housing, health, hurricane protection, and law enforcement problems facing the Gulf Coast.

This year, I was encouraged to see some of the benefits of that legislation beginning to take place. But more importantly I took pride in the hope and dedication that our people displayed. In the two years since the storm those that suffered the most have faced serious delays and frustrations, however their spirit hasn't faltered and they continue to work toward rebuilding these great states.

On Monday morning the delegation met for a round table policy conference with local elected officials, members of the state administration as well as local stakeholders in the rebuilding process. This conference would have to be the highlight of the trip for me. The people who live by the rules of federal agencies and work under the statutes passed through Congress had a chance to talk about where opportunities existed to improve the system and expose inefficiencies. Hurricanes Katrina and Rita were disasters that caused destruction never seen before. This recovery has been plagued with obstacles, big and small, because our federal response system was designed for smaller disasters. However, the Democratic Caucus and leadership have shown a great willingness to listen to the people on the ground, and use those concerns to fashion responsive legislation back in Washington. I believe it is most important to hear what the real needs are from people who are living and working in these conditions everyday.