Hurricane Katrina

April 24, 2008 -- Just this week John McCain said that "[t]here must be no forgotten places in America" and is traveling to New Orleans today to make the case. But don't believe the rhetoric. The fact is, McCain has a history of denying the Gulf Coast aid when it needs it most and a record of outrageous votes to show for it.

John Mccain meets with insurance company representatives: Photo by IowaPolitics (CC)    » read more »

April 15, 2008 -- (JACKSON, Mississippi) — More than $41 million in disaster recovery grants is being awarded to 39 Mississippi counties and municipalities for individual projects involving disaster recovery, Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour and the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) Disaster Recovery Division announced today.

Hurrican Katrina damage, Mississippi: Photo by Chris Metcalf (CC)    » read more »

April 1, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) today released the following statement on the House Science and Technology Committee, Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight hearing on the failure of the Center for Disease Control to protect Gulf Coast residents from contaminated FEMA trailers in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita:

A FEMA trailer in New Orleans: Photo by Kris Fricke (CC)    » read more »

Wednesday, March 19, 2008, BATON ROUGE, La. -- During the first- and second- rounds of the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship, the NCAA, Lowe’s, Habitat for Humanity International and Habitat for Humanity of Greater Baton Rouge will team up to build a home in partnership with a hard-working, low-income family that was displaced by Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita.

Louisiana State University student-athletes, local community and Lowe’s volunteers will construct a Habitat for Humanity house frame on Saturday, March 22 at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, La. The build will take place near the university’s track and field complex.    » read more »

Bureaucratic red tape has delayed first responder reconstruction projects after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

February 26, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) today sent the following letter to FEMA Administrator David Paulison, raising concerns about ongoing reconstruction delays, funding disparities, and bureaucratic red tape for first responder resources and projects in New Orleans.    » read more »

February 07, 2008 -- New Orleans, LA - In a speech at Tulane University today, Senator Barack Obama will lay out his comprehensive program to rebuild New Orleans and the Gulf Coast and help make the region a model of what can be achieved in America when we unite around a common purpose. In carrying out his proposals to protect against future storms, enhance basic infrastructure and services, and invest in education, Obama will restore competence to the White House and rebuild trust between Washington and the citizens who were impacted by Katrina.    » read more »

Federal, state and local partners working together to expedite rebuilding projects

January 30, 2008, NEW ORLEANS, La. -- The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the state of Louisiana and the city of New Orleans are pleased to have provided nearly $16.9 million toward the rebuilding and repair of the New Orleans Fire Department. Of that, $3.1 million will go to rebuilding permanent facilities.    » read more »

Senate Bill Would Mandate HUD Replace All Low Income Housing Scheduled To Be Demolished

January 25, 2008 -- "Like so many Americans, we have followed with grave concern the devastation to Louisiana, Mississippi Alabama, and Texas in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.    » read more »

January 25, 2008 -- “From the earliest days after the worst natural disaster in American history, when Coast residents were sorting through the wreckage of their homes and dealing with containers from the port that had been strewn into neighborhoods by the storm, we knew it would be imperative to restore the port not only in the interest of economic development but also public safety. HUD’s approval of this important project will allow that to happen.    » read more »

Despite urgent housing needs, Bush Administration intends to drastically reduce federal housing in New Orleans

December 18, 2007 -- WASHINGON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) today sent the following letter to President Bush, calling on him to abandon his Administration’s intentions to demolish federally-assisted housing in New Orleans, Louisiana until there is a comprehensive plan to meet the Gulf Coast region’s extensive affordable housing needs.    » read more »

December 18, 2007 -- "To better distinguish between the responsibilities at all levels, we have instituted a Transparency Initiative that will identify the location of federal infrastructure funds and make this information available in a clear and understandable way to the general public. This is a great tool that will further accelerate rebuilding. The first phase of this initiative will focus on mapping public schools in New Orleans so parents, teachers and local leaders will know the status of individual schools in their community." - Donald E.    » read more »

FEMA continues efforts to move residents out of trailers

December 13, 2007 -- (NEW ORLEANS) – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced today that testing for formaldehyde levels in trailers and mobile homes will begin Friday, December 21, 2007. Testing will take place in Mississippi and Louisiana. The testing comes in response to a request from FEMA for assistance in answering questions related to indoor air quality and health in order to answer concerns raised by residents and community members.    » read more »

Dec 07, 2007 -- BATON ROUGE - Today Louisiana Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco joined members of the Louisiana Recovery Authority to announce that updated budget estimates for the Road Home show the program is fully funded. Based on these projections, the state will not have to seek new funds from Congress to ensure that every eligible homeowner receives their full grant award from the Road Home.    » read more »

November 26, 2007, NEW ORLEANS, La. -- The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recently approved funding to reconstruct six severe repetitive loss properties in Orleans Parish. The approved project is significant because it is the first project in Orleans Parish being funded through FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Grants Program (HMGP).    » read more »

November 20, 2007 -- New Orleans, LA. -- Donald E. Powell, the president’s top official for Gulf Coast rebuilding, today toured a newly built affordable housing unit with members of the Harvard University Catherine B. Reynolds Foundation Fellowship in Social Entrepreneurship.

Powell addressed more than 25 fellows after touring the private residence at 4012 Hollygrove Street in New Orleans, Louisiana. He emphasized the importance of critical partnerships between government and private entities in rebuilding of the Gulf Coast.    » read more »