Mitch Landrieu: “while we did leave a lot of work to be done, I do want to thank my colleagues, particularly Chairman Cochran and Senator…”

“while we did leave a lot of work to be done, I do want to thank my colleagues, particularly Chairman Cochran and Senator Byrd, for shepherding through a tremendous direct relief bill. That would not have happened without these two leaders. It was initially sent to us at $17 billion, with an anemic funding level for our levees. It was basically a bill that fixed Federal buildings and sent money to Federal bureaucracies and didn't reach the people directly or our cities or counties or parishes or churches or schools or hospitals. Senator Cochran took that bill and he stood it up and added some extraordinary pieces to it and fought like a tiger to keep that money flexible but accountable so our Governors could start rebuilding our States again, with help from the Federal Government; not just promises but real help. If it had not been for Senators Cochran and Byrd and the appropriators who helped to stand this bill up, we would be leaving here tonight in a much less hopeful situation. We passed that bill out of here a little while ago. It is headed to the House of Representatives. That part is not controversial, but the process is controversial.…”