New Orleans

August 29, 2008 -- Chicago, IL - Today, on the third anniversary of Hurricane Katrina devastating the Gulf Coast, Senator Obama released the following statement on the importance of following through with our commitment to the region.

Hurricane Katrina storm surge, Mobile, Alabama: Photo by Mel Silvers (CC)    » read more »

NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL072008
400 AM CDT MON SEP 01 2008

...GUSTAV NEARING THE LOUISIANA COAST...HEAVY RAIN BANDS APPROACHING
NEW ORLEANS...

AT 4 AM CDT...0900 UTC...THE HURRICANE WARNING EAST OF THE
MISSISSIPPI-ALABAMA BORDER TO THE ALABAMA-FLORIDA BORDER HAS BEEN
CHANGED TO A TROPICAL STORM WARNING. A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS
IN EFFECT FROM JUST EAST OF HIGH ISLAND TEXAS EASTWARD TO THE
MISSISSIPPI-ALABAMA BORDER...INCLUDING THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS AND
LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN. PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY
SHOULD HAVE BEEN COMPLETED.

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FROM EAST OF THE
MISSISSIPPI-ALABAMA BORDER TO THE OCHLOCKONEE RIVER.

FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...INCLUDING POSSIBLE    » read more »

Hurricane Katrina: GAO Study Results

July 17, 2008 -- New Orleans faces many challenges in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina including the challenge of reestablishing the health care system and hospitals within the system. Hurricane Katrina, which made landfall on August 29, 2005, and the subsequent flooding caused by the failure of the New Orleans levee systems, resulted in the sudden closure, damage, or disruption in services at many of the New Orleans hospitals.    » read more »

June 03, 2008 -- John McCain has some nerve going to New Orleans, site of the Bush Administration’s do-nothing approach to Hurricane Katrina, to announce that he’s a “different kind of Republican.”

From health care and jobs to the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Sen. McCain’s record shows he’s in lockstep with President Bush and the Administration’s corporate allies.

A small and subdued collection of John McCain supporters during his New Orleans speech: Photo by dsb nola (CC)    » read more »

Federal Coordinator Doug O'Dell and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Brigadier General Michael Walsh Discuss Levee Protection in New Orleans

May 30, 2008 -- New Orleans, LA. – General Doug O’Dell, federal coordinator for Gulf Coast Rebuilding, along with Brigadier General Michael Walsh of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), recently hosted a media conference call to discuss hurricane protection in New Orleans in preparation for the upcoming hurricane season beginning June 1.

A levee wall in New Orleans: Photo by AuthenticEccentric (CC)    » read more »

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 »

HUD provides New Orleans $2.3 million more than 2007 to support housing and development programs

NEW ORLEANS, March 17, 2008 - U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson today announced the City of New Orleans will receive more than $27 million to support community development and produce more affordable housing in the Big Easy. HUD's annual funding will also provide downpayment assistance to first-time homebuyers; assist individuals and families who might otherwise be living on the streets; and offer real housing solutions for individuals with HIV/AIDS.    » read more »

- Groundbreaking Forums to Feature Top Student Journalists Pressing National Influencers on College Students' Key Concerns
- Series Kicks Off at First Clinton Global Initiative University Meeting, March 14-16 at Tulane University

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 »

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 11, 2007 -- Chapel Hill, North Carolina – Senator John Edwards today called on HUD to reverse its plan to begin demolishing public housing in New Orleans this week and urged the New Orleans City Council to stand strong in defending housing for city residents. Edwards said in a statement:    » read more »