I particularly want to thank this Chair and Senator Kerry and the Members of this Committee who have stepped forward to put an extraordinary amendment on the CJS bill.

This was the highest priority for businesses in my home state of Louisiana.

I want to acknowledge our Chairperson here and how, from the very first days of this catastrophe, the leadership of this Committee, along with Senator Kerry, has been focused on exactly what the Chairman said.

Today, I introduced a comprehensive legislative package called the 'Louisiana Katrina Reconstruction Act' that will help rebuild Louisiana's economy and our infrastructure.

I raise that, Madam Chair, not out of any criticism but just to say how huge this is and how much faster we have to go.

I believe as a Member of this Committee that the Small Business Administration is very well poised through existing programs that we have as well as new things that our Committee should explore.

I thank the Chair for holding this hearing on the devastation that Hurricane Katrina has brought on my home state of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama.

As Senator Kerry said, there are over 200,000 small businesses and counting that have been directly affected.

I just ask this Committee to be broad in our view as opposed to narrow and see how we can really reach out.

We have to have a system where their families are moved to a safe place days before the storm.

We are proposing a $1,000 tax credit for each employee a small business puts back to work in the disaster area.

We are proposing a relocation tax credit to help offset the huge cost many businesses have incurred in relocating.

Unless businesses and jobs come back, people won't follow and we won't properly repopulate and get back on our feet.

I want to thank Administrator Barreto for being here today and for all of his work.

This plan helps small businesses, of course. It was adopted last week as an amendment and we appreciate all your work on that.

I introduced sweeping legislation with my Ranking Member Senator Kennedy.

Now is not the time to play the blame game. We need to focus on immediate assistance and the rebuilding of the region.

I look forward to hearing from SBA Administrator Barreto and Associate Administrator Mitchell about what the SBA has accomplished in response to Katrina.