Government is not adequately prepared structurally to respond to a catastrophic event.

I believe the Corps understands, and, of course, all of us understand that 100-year flood protection is not adequate to protect what it is that we know is coming our way.

But I just want to be clear for this record on this question, because this is just critical to our success moving forward.

I would hope that you would take some time very soon to sit down face-to-face with these elected officials.

As we approach the 5-year anniversary of the worst natural and manmade disaster in American history, we are compelled to pause and consider the road we have traveled.

FEMA is not a recovery organization. They are not a rebuilding organization.

I would encourage Congress and the Senate to give broader authorization to FEMA to settle lump sum with parishes and mayors all over the country.

I want every resident of this proud region to know that this Administration will never forget you.

I cannot help but to feel great optimism, great enthusiasm for the future of New Orleans and the region.

We will always be grateful to our first responders who saved so many lives.

She has just been a tigress in getting that legislation passed for us.

I think that is critically important.

If they are found simply negligent, they will pay $5 billion. If they are found grossly negligent, they will pay approximately $20 billion.

I am very grateful to be able to serve as Chairman of this Subcommittee, and we have conducted any number of hearings over the course of the last 5 years related to smarter, better disaster response and recovery.

We have made Gulf Coast recovery one of the very measures of our agency's success for the next 5 years.

I want to be clear that we are going to leave here committed to figuring this out.

We need to bring that urgency and that actual process to the coastal restoration.

I have no doubt we will continue to produce results, results this region needs to not only rebuild, but rebuild stronger, better, and faster.

He has done two tours of Iraq, two tours overseas, and we are grateful, Paul, for your service to our State and our Nation.

Winston Churchill once said, if you are going through hell, keep going.

I live in the most powerful country in the world. Surely our Federal Government is going to come in and provide some assistance.

Thank you so much, Congressman Scalise.

if we do all these things, I think we are at the verge of really witnessing probably one of the most catalytic urban transformations in recent history.

We should take this opportunity to help learn from them.

We can take credit for that.