Bobby Jindal

Mr. JINDAL

Mr. JINDAL. Mr. Chairman, as witnessed in 2005, the response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita was hampered by failure of identifying needs, and delays in delivering support. In preparation for this year's hurricane season, FEMA has engaged each of the 18 hurricane impact States, including the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the Territories, in a focused effort to identify strengths and weaknesses in their preparedness capabilities. FEMA used a gap analysis tool that was developed in coordination with the State of New York Emergency Management Office and the New York City Office of Emergency Management. This tool was successful in identifying vulnerabilities in New York, and it is now being implemented to provide FEMA, States, and local governments in the hurricane-prone regions of the country with a snapshot of asset gaps. Although FEMA has not yet released its full analysis, the agency has found significant gaps and shortfalls in hurricane preparedness among the targeted areas. Indeed, according to recent testimony before both the House and Senate Homeland Security Committees, FEMA Administrator David Paulison recognized Louisiana, in particular, as having a fragile state of recovery. He indicated that the State still needs assistance in finding shelter space in adjacent States, ensuring sufficient transportation resources to conduct timely and effective evacuation, positioning commodities, and caring for those with critical medical needs. We are already now several days into the current hurricane season, and there is an urgent need to assist States and local governments in addressing their hurricane preparedness weaknesses. It makes no sense to identify but not address these gaps. My amendment adds $5 million to the Disaster Relief Fund, specifically the Disaster Support Account, to enable FEMA to begin assisting these States and local governments by strengthening their preparedness capabilities. The initiative would build upon a joint effort between State Emergency Management representatives and FEMA regional representatives to understand and bridge potential disaster response asset gaps in the critical area of debris removal, evacuation, sheltering, interim housing, health care facilities, commodity distribution, communications, fuel, or other vulnerabilities intrinsic to those areas. The $5 million would be offset by a reduction in FEMA management and administration. The underlying bill allocates $685 million for this purpose, which is $17 million above the requested amount from the administration. In my State, levees and floodwalls are still under repair and thousands of disaster victims are still housed in temporary travel trailers. Louisiana and other impacted States cannot afford to exacerbate vulnerabilities with shortfalls in emergency planning, communication and supplies. It is imperative that we provide the resources necessary to protect the lives of our citizens. Hurricanes Katrina and Rita demonstrated the awful consequences of not being prepared before the next natural disaster. I urge my colleagues to support my amendment. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. JINDAL. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. JINDAL. I certainly appreciate the chairman's support. Based on his commitment, I would like to work with him. My concern is in talking to FEMA, they didn't think that funds had been allocated to actually act on the gaps that have been identified. I know that in previous instances, we have used this account, the disaster support account, with the disaster relief fund, we have used that for support activities previously to support disasters; for example, the National Processing Service Center. My intent was to make sure that there was actually funding to act on these gaps. Again in our conversations with FEMA staff, it had been expressed to us they hadn't identified funding to address these gaps. It is not important to me which fund it comes out of. I want to make sure that there is funding and that FEMA understands it is congressional intent for them to actually act on these gaps now that they have been identified.

Mr. JINDAL. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. JINDAL. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank the chairman, I want to thank the ranking member for their work with me, not only on this amendment, but on the stated goal of helping our States become prepared.

Mr. JINDAL. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw the amendment.

Mr. JINDAL

Mr. JINDAL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the Reverend Thomas Charles French, Jr., for his 49-year service to the congregation of Jefferson Baptist Church in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Reverend French, who retired this May, departs from a pastorship he has held since Jefferson Baptist's founding. In the five decades since; he has overseen its growth from a mere 17 members to nearly 1,500, has played an active role in the Southern Baptist Convention, has developed a television ministry program in collaboration with his church, and has ministered to four generations of some of the families at Jefferson Baptist. Though officially he is retired, Reverend French will continue to serve the community on various governing boards in Louisiana. He also will act as Jefferson Baptist's pastor emeritus after a new pastor is found. I know that even in retirement, Revered French will continue the good works that have made him so beloved to his community in Baton Rouge. Madam Speaker, I ask that all my colleagues join me today in honoring my good friend Reverend Thomas French's life and works. His exceptional energy, service to the public good, and lifelong dedication to his church and his state are an example for all of us to follow. I am honored to call him a friend, and I wish him the best in retirement.

Mr. JINDAL

Mr. JINDAL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Marquis de La Fayette on the 250th anniversary of his birth. General Lafayette dedicated his life to the creation of democracy in America and France. Revered by many in both the new world and the old, La Fayette became known as the ``Hero of Two Worlds.'' At the age of 19, La Fayette invested his own funds and outfitted a frigate, sailing for America in 1777, where he joined the forces of General George Washington, with whom he established a lifelong friendship. In 1781, the Battle of Yorktown, Virginia was a crucial victory by the combined American and French force led by General George Washington and the Marquis de La Fayette, over the British army commanded by General Lord Charles Cornwallis. The surrender of Cornwallis' army caused the British government to negotiate an end to the American Revolutionary War. In my home state of Louisiana, the Marquis de Lafayette has an enduring legacy by having a leading parish and city named in his honor. Lafayette, Louisiana is one of the fastest growing communities in the South. Lafayette's energy, telecommuncations and agriculture industries are of national importance. The parish of Lafayette Louisiana is the site of a year-long commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the birth of the Marquis de La Fayette throughout 2007. The 2007 commemoration includes exhibitions, festivals, music, conferences and lectures. Known for its unique cuisine, music, outstanding hospitality, Cajun and Creole language and traditions, Lafayette welcomes visitors of all ages to this full year of events devoted to Louisiana's French heritage, and focusing on La Fayette, the ``Hero of Two Wodds.'' In conclusion, Mr. Speaker I would like to thank Lafayette, Louisiana's City Parish President Joey Durel and his wife Lynne for their leadership of the 2007 commeration. May La Fayette's vision of democracy and freedom we enjoy today--be cherished always.

Mr. JINDAL

Mr. JINDAL. Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I'm delighted to have Father Ronald Calkins here today to offer our opening prayer. Father Calkins, a constituent from my district, is the pastor of Mary Queen of Peace Catholic Church in Mandeville, Louisiana. Appointed in July 1995, Father Calkins has led Mary Queen of Peace through a period of rapid growth and overseen the opening of Mary Queen of Peace Catholic School, which turned 10 years old this past August. We are honored to have Father Calkins with us here today. He has shown remarkable leadership, especially as his parish and as our State has struggled through and is recovering from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. I thank him for his dedication, his service to his parish, and to the residents of southeast Louisiana. We welcome Father Calkins as well as the students and their chaperones from Mary Queen of Peace Catholic Church and School.

Mr. JINDAL

Mr. JINDAL. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank Chairman Oberstar, Chairwoman Johnson, and Ranking Members Mica and Baker for their excellent work on H.R. 1495. This legislation is critical to the entire country, but for Louisiana in particular it provides much-needed authority and direction for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to design and construct a comprehensive hurricane, flood, and coastal protection program safeguarding hundreds of thousands of lives and tens of billions of dollars in industry and infrastructure vital to our Nation's economy. WRDA specifically allocates approximately $1.2 billion for actions to restore Louisiana's coastal wetlands over the next decade, including a plan for the closure and environmental restoration of the MRGO, the Inner Harbor Navigational Canal Lock, other projects like the Ouachita River levees and the Red River basin and several other projects throughout the State. Among the critical projects included in the WRDA bill is the Morganza to the Gulf Hurricane Protection project. This project is the best solution to protecting exposed areas in the bayou region of Louisiana. I am very pleased that the administration softened its stance on Morganza to the Gulf, which will provide essential hurricane protections to those in Terrebonne and Lafourche Parishes. When complete, this project will provide category 3 protection for 200,000 citizens and approximately $8 billion of public and private infrastructure. Though I certainly would have preferred an unqualified endorsement for Morganza to the Gulf from the administration, I look forward to working with my colleagues in the House to ensure that Morganza and other important projects remain intact in the final bill. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1495. I want to thank again the chairman, and ranking member, Mr. Baker, in particular, for their work on this bill.

Mr. JINDAL

Mr. JINDAL. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. JINDAL. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to modify my amendment.

Mr. JINDAL. I want to thank the chairwoman, and I want to thank Ranking Member Chabot as well for their working together with me. I especially want to thank the committee for helping me with this legislation and for this underlying bill for all they are trying to do and all they are doing to help the small businesses in Louisiana recover from the 2005 hurricanes. As my colleagues from Louisiana have already pointed out, prior to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, there were an estimated 347,436 small businesses in Louisiana. These businesses created jobs and income for countless families all across the State. More than 65,000 of the new jobs in Louisiana in the past decade were created by small businesses, and in 2004, over 97 percent of the 96,000 Louisiana firms were small businesses. The devastation caused by the 2005 hurricanes is unprecedented, with total losses, both insured and uninsured, approaching $140 billion. According to the United States Chamber of Commerce, over 125,000 businesses were disrupted by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005. In Louisiana alone, over 81,000 small businesses were damaged or economically impacted, with 18,700 businesses catastrophically destroyed by the storms. As one example, in St. Bernard Parish, one of the Louisiana parishes hardest hit by Hurricane Katrina, only 370 businesses have reopened, far below the total of 1,400 businesses in operation before Katrina. The Nation's small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and when they are devastated by storms like Katrina, Rita and Wilma, we need to do everything possible to help them rebuild and recover. I am offering an amendment today that builds upon a provision in the underlying bill by providing Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma disaster victims with the option of receiving a 4-year deferment period to pay back their disaster loans. Section 204 of the underlying bill extends the deferment period to future disaster victims. My amendment simply applies this option to those severely affected by the 2005 hurricanes. These cash-strapped small businesses are truly in need of repayment flexibility. My amendment allows the SBA to refinance the existing Katrina, Rita and Wilma disaster loans under identical loans, but with the added option of deferment of up to 4 years after the date on which the initial disbursement was made. This is a revised version of my original amendment that complies with all the budgetary and PAYGO rules. By allowing small businesses that received certain small business loans to defer their repayment on those loans, we are freeing up money for these businesses to use for other purposes, such as rebuilding, expanding or continuing to hire new employees. The importance of small business as the gulf coast continues to rebuild cannot be overstated. It is critical that we help small businesses get up and running again and provide the job opportunities people so desperately need in these impacted areas. I certainly urge my colleagues to support my amendment. Again, I want to thank the chairman and ranking member for their work on the underlying bill and their work with me on this amendment. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. JINDAL

Mr. JINDAL. Mr. Speaker, I offer a motion to recommit.

Mr. JINDAL. In its current form, I am.

Mr. JINDAL. I want to thank the chairman and I want to thank Ranking Member Bachus for their contributions to this legislation in trying to ensure that we do the right thing in New Orleans, that things can actually be better, that we do not have to return to the way that things were even before the storms. Prior to hurricanes, thousands of New Orleans residents living in public housing often had to deal with horrific living conditions, poorly maintained units, out-of-control crime, drugs, gangs and more. It was not the living conditions that any human being should have to endure. We must ensure that the residents of Louisiana returning home following the devastation of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita have access to safe, affordable and quality housing. We now have the opportunity to rebuild a significant portion of our State, and we must make certain that the mistakes of the past are not repeated. This includes ensuring that our public housing system does not force residents to live in unacceptable conditions, and replacing the old public housing units with safe, habitable and affordable housing for the future. Mixed-income developments have proven to be successful when tried in other States and should be given a chance to succeed in New Orleans. We must also ensure that the poor, elderly or disabled individuals coming back are given the tools that they need to ensure affordable housing opportunities. Our housing system must give individuals a range of affordable choices. We must ensure that our public housing system is not again overwhelmed with drugs and crime, but that it instead serves its intended purpose of aiding those in need of housing assistance with a safe place to live. That is why I am offering this motion to recommit. Building upon the base bill, this motion to recommit gives priority in the awarding of housing units under the bill to individuals who are either employed or residents of households with people who are employed, exceed the number of legally required hours of community service that public housing residents may perform. Third, are individuals who are elderly or disabled. Fourth, who qualify for placement in housing to avoid having their families separated under existing Federal family unification housing rules. The motion to recommit also seeks to ensure that public housing facilities in New Orleans foster a safer living environment for returning families by precluding availability of housing to individuals who have either been convicted of being drug dealers, have been convicted of a sex crime, have been convicted of a crime of domestic violence, or are a direct threat to public safety. This includes allowing a refusal to return if an applicant is a threat to a community through gang membership. Given the fact that New Orleans' murder rate on a per-capita basis now may be the highest in the Nation, I believe this motion to recommit should be supported. Mr. Speaker, we must put the residents of public housing in a position to succeed. Allowing the old system to be put back in place is irresponsible and unacceptable; and especially when you consider the fact that we are in desperate need of workers to help us rebuild our community. We think this motion to recommit deserves every Member's support. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. JINDAL. We are directing the housing authority that they have to do these things.

Mr. JINDAL. Mr. Speaker, this changes current law by not giving the discretion, by directing the housing authority to keep these certain criminals----

Mr. JINDAL. Mr. Speaker, under current law, they have the discretion; they are not required. We are requiring the housing authority to do this.

Mr. JINDAL. The underlying bill prevents the preferences that we have listed in this motion to recommit. This would direct the housing authority to give preference to those that meet the requirements.

Mr. JINDAL. Will the gentleman yield?

Mr. JINDAL. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. JINDAL

Mr. JINDAL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that my name be removed as a cosponsor of House Resolution 106.

Mr. JINDAL

Mr. JINDAL. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to introduce a resolution honoring and recognizing the achievements of Sheriff Craig Webre of Lafourche Parish, Louisiana. Elected as Sheriff of Lafourche Parish on July 1, 1992, Sheriff Webre ushered in a new era of accountable, responsible and professional law enforcement in Lafourche Parish. In the past 15 years, Sheriff Webre enhanced first responder morale, equipment, and communication capability, and initiated or improved over 40 public service programs including Crimestoppers, Crisis Management Unit Team, and Police Social Services, a one-of-a-kind comprehensive victim assistance program that serves approximately 1,400 crime victims per year. Under Sheriff Webre's leadership, the Lafourche Parish Sheriff's Office became the second Sheriff's office in Louisiana history to become nationally accredited, placing the Sheriff's office in the top four percent of all the law enforcement agencies in the United States. Sheriff Webre played an instrumental role in coordinating distribution of personnel, material and supplies to storm damaged parishes during and after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and worked to provide access for outside agencies to come to the aid of neighboring parishes in Louisiana. Widely respected by his peers, Sheriff Craig Webre was elected as First Vice President of the National Sheriffs Association in 2006, and is in line to become National President in 2007. I call on my colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives to join me in honoring and recognizing the achievements made by Craig Webre, who exemplifies the willingness, dedication, and sacrifice to ensure the security and safety of the citizens of Lafourche Parish.

Mr. JINDAL

Mr. JINDAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.