Shelley Berkley: “as millions of people lost their homes and their jobs, the casino and gaming industry in the Gulf Coast region is…”

“as millions of people lost their homes and their jobs, the casino and gaming industry in the Gulf Coast region is helping them in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. I applaud the American Gaming Association for setting up the Gaming Industry Katrina Relief Fund to raise money to provide disaster relief and assistance to gaming employees in Mississippi and Louisiana. Gaming companies have created programs to help their employees after the devastation of the hurricane. Among other relief efforts, Harrah's Entertainment has established a $1 million Employee Recovery Fund and is paying employee wages for 90 days, Boyd Gaming is paying employees for 8 weeks, and the MGM Mirage has established a call center and paycheck distribution center in Biloxi. The gaming industry is taking care of their employees in the areas ravaged by the hurricane. As usual, the industry has stepped up to the plate to help their employees weather the storm and their communities to rebuild. I applaud the gaming industry for all they do. ____________________”