Joe Pitts: “much has been said about leadership in the Katrina response. Some elected leaders failed because they were not decisive…”

“much has been said about leadership in the Katrina response. Some elected leaders failed because they were not decisive and did not make tough choices when the times called for them. We should not repeat those mistakes. True leaders make tough choices and inspire shared sacrifice when times get tough. President Bush outlined an unprecedented Federal commitment to cleaning up the mess left by Hurricane Katrina, and this body will give him a plan that largely reflects what he wants. The devil, as it is said, is in the details. How do we pay for this? We cannot just throw money into programs and ideas. A successful plan to rebuild the region will be limited in scope, targeted to specific needs, and its cost offset from other areas of the budget. It is wrong to use this tragedy as an excuse to pile more debt onto future generations. Let us help Katrina's victims but let us also tighten our belts and pay for it today. ____________________”