Will you and the Chief Architect of GSA work with my office to ensure that the agency complies with the Stafford Act and follows its own policy on Gulf Coast reconstruction projects, by allowing locally-based Louisiana firms to participate…

We think this is about looking for a new engineering model that will work for the whole Country.

I reject the notion that either Jefferson Parish or Orleans Parish or St. Bernard Parish or Plaquemines Parish will never have a greater footprint or a higher density or a greater population.

What similarities do you see and what are the one of two things that you think we could really appreciate from the Dutch model?

$15 million to do a study?

As the Senator from this State, I want to say that I am not going to lead the retreat. I will not lead the retreat. We are going to reclaim our land and reclaim our safety.

I think Senator Vitter and our whole delegation share this, we want a comprehensive system that keeps people in this area free from flooding to the greatest degree possible.

I think with the two of you Senators here, we should be able to get a lot of clarity.

I am not sure that standard is necessarily accurate or something that we would agree with that you have outlined.

one of the startling things, and I say startling, things that I learned in the delta in The Netherlands is that this country does not even have flood insurance.

We must build a better model. We must move in a new direction.

We cannot afford another $40 billion or $50 billion or $80 billion mistake.

It is only going to be a matter of time until a major storm hits Florida or some catastrophic flooding occurs in California.

It is not just puzzling, but it is aggravating, frustrating and frightening, actually, General, to the people that we represent.

If Hurricane Katrina taught us anything, we must coordinate and manage our outer hurricane protection with the interior drainage and flood control of the city.

I want to say that discussing the status of hurricane protection and critical coastal restoration underway in South Louisiana is of extreme importance.

What I learned in The Netherlands is that people can live, safely and securely, below sea level and near the water.

So, do you all want to stand on your suggestion that we just move the 250,000 people?

It is essential that we do the right thing at this stage. Frankly, I am not into wasting hundreds of millions of dollars.

What comfort does that give the people of our region, that there will be no catastrophic flooding in someone's lifetime?

I want to thank Senator Landrieu and Senator Snowe for these important bills.

On Monday, I also introduced a bill, S. 1196, the Small Business International Trade Enhancement Act.

the bipartisan bill that Chair Landrieu and Senator Snowe introduced yesterday changes the authorization of the grant amounts from a maximum of $150,000 to a minimum of $150,000.

I think all of us understand that small business is the backbone of our economy.

we need somebody at a very high level advocating for small businesses, not only in trade negotiations