Congressman John D. Dingell

Washington, DC - Congressman John D. Dingell (MI-15) released the following statement on President Bush’s remarks concerning the response to Hurricane Katrina and the ongoing relief effort:

“The President took a first step towards mounting the response Americans have expected for two weeks. It was important to send a message to the communities of the Gulf Coast that we stand together as Americans.

“However, we should not let promises of what we'd like to happen divert our attention from what is happening. With a stroke of the pen, in one of his first Katrina directives, the President cut the wages of the workers who will undertake our largest reconstruction project since the Civil War. Rather than empowering the thousands of Americans left jobless, he decided to fatten the pockets of multi-billion dollar construction firms allowing them to cut the wages of the men and women who will rebuild New Orleans, Biloxi, Gulfport, Mobile and so many other cities. He has also rewarded these large contractors with big, no-bid contracts and grandiose credit card limits to be paid for by the tax payers. We know these contractors well; we've become familiar with them because of their long-standing relations with the Bush-Cheney team.

“We must, and we will, rebuild the city of New Orleans, but that alone won't make the people of New Orleans whole. I ask the President to treat these people with dignity and allow them the opportunity to put their own mark on the rebuilding effort and make a reasonable wage while doing it.”