Cord Byrd: “Hurricane Katrina dealt this country an unspeakable blow. Tens of thousands of homes have been destroyed. Families have…”

“Hurricane Katrina dealt this country an unspeakable blow. Tens of thousands of homes have been destroyed. Families have lost everything. Entire cities have been washed away. And, most tragically, hundreds, perhaps thousands of lives have been lost. Our Gulf States are in crisis. People have been scattered to cities and homes across the country, as the Army Corps of Engineers continues to pump the water out of the flood zones. It will take weeks, if not months, for the waters to recede. The Congress has responded. Last week, the Congress approved $10.5 billion in emergency supplemental funding. And now we are poised to provide another $51.8 billion. This funding is likely just a down payment. The bill that is before the Senate provides $50 billion for FEMA Disaster Relief. This funding will provide food, water, housing and cash assistance to the victims of Hurricane Katrina. It also will be used to reimburse the many Federal agencies that are in the region providing health care, rebuilding roads, providing security and removing debris. The bill also includes $1.4 billion for the Department of Defense for the deployment of military personnel to provide relief supplies, health care, and security, and for repairing facilities. Finally, the bill includes $400 million for the Corps of Engineers for emergency repairs to levees and pump stations, and for draining flooded areas. The White House expects that there will be a need for more funding in early October.…”