Those were the obvious questions that ran through my mind as 22 members of the House of Representatives visited Louisiana for their tour of New Orleans, the region and the Mississippi Coast.  All of the members of the delegation are Democrats although a spokesperson for the group said that Republicans had been invited but declined.

The Democrats will be holding their convention during the Katrina anniversary (August 29) so the Democratic House delegation decided upon an earlier date.

Unquestionably, the political issue of the day is--why is Louisiana being forced to pay reimbursement costs for levee constructions amounting to $1.8 billion dollars over a period of three years rather than thirty or less years and whether there could be a reduction of the reimbursement amount?

On Monday, House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi (D-Ca) reaffirmed her frustration and her position she stated earlier over the weekend.  She stated on the Monday tour that President Bush had threatened to veto legislation that had a three year time period and that he had the power and authority to change the terms of the reimbursement.   It obviously appeared that Pelosi expressed a feeling of futility and said that Bush could rectify the situation by executive order.  On Friday, Governor Jindal also said that he had spoken to the House, Senate and the President and everyone was sympathetic but there were no results.

I then requested a response from the White House which recommended that I obtain a statement from the Office of the Federal Coordinator for Gulf Coast Rebuilding.  I spoke to that Office immediately which was one hour prior to publication and have not received a comment from that Office.   I will update this audience once, and if, I receive the Administration reply.

Aside from the politics, the trip was indeed an “emotional” eye opener.  On the press bus, the Army Corps of Engineers emphasized the work they were hoping to complete by 2011 and described it as protection for a one-hundred-year storm.  However, the Corps declined to equate a one-hundred-year storm protection with Category Three protection since they said the comparison was not accurate.  Regardless, a spokesperson for the Corps admitted that while they have accomplished significant work since Katrina, that they could not guarantee that a one-hundred-year storm or any storm could not serious damage the area until 2011.  The Corps spokes person said that a storm greater than a one-hundred- year storm could overwhelm any existing improvements both prior to 2011 and following that date.  

The House leadership also received an opportunity to review the post-Katrina gains and needs in the area of housing, healthcare, education.

With the election season approaching, the last thing that New Orleans, Louisiana and the rest of the Gulf Coast needs is partisanship or uncertainty.   There is little doubt that the Democrats are taking credit for the recovery in Louisiana citing major comparisons in funding and infrastructure improvements since their assuming power last election cycle.

So, it would be quite useful for the Administration and the entire Congress to tour the area prior to elections so we can obtain an overall perspective of where the political parties stand on the issues. 

Louisiana, New Orleans, and the Gulf Coast have a tremendous way to go to achieve any real recovery, to be fully secure and to be a "full service gas pump" to the rest of the nation.      Right now, we need to see results and substantial protection on the ground, not words or plans. 

I, again, admit, the area cannot be the type of community it was prior to Katrina with poor education, health, high crime and few large businesses.  It can be better, and it must be better.  

America was able to mobilize and beat the Nazis and the Japanese and then create and implement a Marshall plan without the use of computers and high-technology.  Katrina is facing its three-year anniversary and everyone should recognize the importance of rebuilding a major and very important region of America. 

The time is not to shed blame but to do what is necessary and what is right.  The more light that shines on the improvements, the needs and the hopes, the more confidence the rest of America will have in its own self as a people;  Furthermore, the more resultswe see, the more we will have be confident in our own government to fix what many of us (including the federal government)  neglected.