Text 4153, 156 rader
Skriven 2007-03-01 23:31:08 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (0703018) for Thu, 2007 Mar 1
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Fact Sheet: Working with State and Local Leaders to Help Rebuild the Gulf
Coast
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For Immediate Release Office of the Press Secretary March 1, 2007

Fact Sheet: Working with State and Local Leaders to Help Rebuild the Gulf
Coast

ÿÿWhite House News

ÿÿÿÿÿ In Focus: Hurricane Katrina

A Federal Commitment Of Over $110 Billion To Help Communities Recover

Today, The President Visited Mississippi And Louisiana To Discuss The
Progress Of Recovery  Including The Federal Commitment Of Over $110
Billion To Help The People Of The Gulf Coast Rebuild. Hurricane Katrina was
the most destructive natural disaster in U.S. history. The Federal
government has committed more than $110 billion to help the Gulf Coast
recover, and most of this money has already been made available or sent to
the region. The Federal government will continue to provide assistance and
guidance, but the people of the Gulf Coast and their elected leaders must
drive the effort to rebuild their lives and their communities.
  þ In Mississippi, The President Visited With Gulf Coast Grant Recipients
    In Long Beach And Met In Biloxi With Elected Officials  Including
    Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour  And Community Leaders From Across
    The Mississippi Gulf Coast. Located approximately 15 miles west of
    Biloxi, Long Beach sustained heavy damage from Hurricane Katrina.
  þ In Louisiana, The President Met With Elected Officials  Including
    Louisiana Lt. Governor Mitch Landrieu  And Community Leaders And
    Visited Samuel J. Green Charter School. In operation for only two weeks
    before sustaining severe damage during Hurricane Katrina, Samuel J.
    Green Charter School was established as a public charter school in an
    effort to turn around an underperforming elementary school. On January
    9, 2006, the school merged with the highly successful New Orleans
    Charter Middle School, which was flooded and destroyed during Hurricane
    Katrina, and reopened to serve 350 students  kindergarten through
    eighth grade.

Fulfilling The Federal Commitment To Helping The Gulf Coast's People
Rebuild

The Federal Government Has Provided More Than $110 Billion In Resources To
The Gulf Coast Region. Of this $110 billion, more than $85 billion in total
has been obligated, and more than $53 billion has been spent. This funding
is being used in efforts including:
  þ FEMA Has Provided More Than $10 Billion In Grants To Gulf Coast States
    To Remove Debris And Repair And Rebuild Public Infrastructure And
    Buildings. ÿThis includes repairing sewer and water systems, roads, and
    bridges, as well as public buildings such as schools and fire
    stations.ÿSince Hurricane Katrina, FEMA has worked with the U.S. Army
    Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Coast Guard to fund the removal of more
    than 100 million cubic yards of debris along the Gulf Coast.
  þ The U.S. Department Of Housing And Urban Development (HUD) Is
    Administering Nearly $17 Billion In Flexible Federal Grants As Part Of
    The Largest Housing Recovery Program In U.S. History. HUD's Community
    Development Block Grants program is helping thousands rebuild their
    homes and enabling communities to restore damaged public housing,
    promote affordable rental housing, and restore critical infrastructure.
    HUD approved Gulf States' plans to rebuild housing in record time, and
    the agency continues to provide support and assistance to States.
  þ The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Paid More Than $16 Billion
    In Claims And Has Closed Almost All Claims Made By Policyholders.
  þ The U.S. Army Corps Of Engineers Has Received Almost $6 Billion To
    Repair And Restore Levees And Strengthen The New Orleans-Area Flood
    Protection System. The Corps repaired and restored more than 220 miles
    of levees and floodwalls in the year following Hurricane Katrina. It
    continues its work to repair and enhance the levees, make the entire
    hurricane protection system better and stronger by 2010, and begin to
    restore the wetlands surrounding greater New Orleans.
  þ The U.S. Department Of Education Has Provided Almost $2 Billion To Help
    Reopen Schools And Educate Displaced Students After Hurricane Katrina.
    In Mississippi, 99 percent of schools have reopened. In Louisiana, the
    number of schools open is at 94 percent of pre-Katrina levels. First
    Lady Laura Bush has visited many of these excellent schools, which have
    opened their doors to students from across the region.
  þ Gulf Opportunity Zone (GO Zone) Tax Credits Provide An Estimated $8
    Billion In Federal Tax Incentives Over Five Years To Spur Private
    Business Investment And Economic Development. In December 2005, the
    President signed the GO Zone Act to help create jobs and spur
    development by providing tax relief for businesses and entrepreneurs in
    Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. Since then, the U.S. Department of
    Treasury has provided $600 million in GO Zone New Markets tax credits
    to the Gulf Coast region, with an additional $400 million expected to
    be awarded this fall.
  þ The Small Business Administration (SBA) Has Disbursed More Than $5
    Billion In Hurricane-Related Disaster Loans. In addition, SBA
    Administrator Steven Preston has implemented key reforms to speed
    disbursement of these funds. Of 94,000 outstanding hurricane-related
    loan applications in September 2006, 51,000 people have now received
    all the loan money they qualified for; 19,000 have drawn some of the
    money; and 24,000 have canceled their approved loans.
  þ The U.S. Department Of Justice (DOJ) Has Provided More Than $60 Million
    To Support Louisiana And The City Of New Orleans In Their Efforts To
    Fight Violent Crime And Rebuild Their Criminal Justice Systems. $30
    million has been directed to New Orleans, which has one of the highest
    murder rates in the Nation.ÿ DOJ assistance to New Orleans also
    includes additional Federal law enforcement agents and prosecutors, and
    additional technical assistance and training for the New Orleans Police
    Department.
  þ In December 2006, President Bush Signed Legislation Allowing Louisiana
    To Share In Revenues From Drilling Along The Outer Continental Shelf
    (OCS). Louisiana has promised to use these funds to restore its coastal
    wetlands, which will help defend against future storms.
  þ In Addition To Federal Assistance, Policy Holders In Mississippi And
    Louisiana Have Received Private Insurance Payments Totaling $10.5
    Billion In Louisiana And Over $5 Billion In Mississippi.
  þ Americans Have Contributed Over $3.5 Billion In Cash And In-Kind
    Donations To The Gulf Coast  More Resources Than After Any Other
    Natural Disaster In Our Nation's History. According to the Corporation
    for National and Community Service, more than half a million
    individuals offered their services as volunteers on the Gulf Coast in
    the year following Hurricane Katrina.

Ensuring The Nation Is Prepared For Future Disasters

On February 23, 2006, The Administration Released Its "Lessons Learned"
Review Of The Federal Response To Hurricane Katrina. The Report identifies
deficiencies in the Federal government's response and lays the groundwork
for better preparation for and response to future natural disasters.

Dramatic Improvements Have Been Made At The National Level To Respond To A
Disaster.
  þ FEMA has strengthened its ability to respond, establishing a variety of
    rapidly deployable teams to quickly establish a Federal presence at a
    disaster scene to coordinate with State and local officials.
  þ FEMA has dramatically increased its stockpiles of relief supplies, such
    as emergency meals and ice, and the ability to track them.
  þ FEMA has improved its customer service capabilities to provide better
    support while also protecting against fraud and abuse. FEMA now has the
    capacity to handle 200,000 calls per day from disaster victims seeking
    assistance.
  þ The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is working with all 50
    States and America's largest cities to refine their emergency response
    plans and disaster preparedness drills.
  þ The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) is now better integrated with
    FEMA, assigning an 8-person coordination element to the FEMA office in
    each of the ten FEMA regions
  þ The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has created
    rapidly deployable medical teams to quickly and effectively respond to
    a disaster or terrorist attack
  þ Multiple Federal departments (DHS, DOD, HHS, Department of
    Transportation) have worked together to provide support to the Gulf
    Coast to assist with evacuations should another hurricane threaten the
    area.

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