Washington, DC – Congressman William J. Jefferson (D-La.) helped secure $5.7 billion in Hurricane Katrina provisions in the revised “Iraq Accountability Act of 2007.”  Last week, House Leadership had offered to sacrifice the provisions in an effort to comply with the administration’s demands to make cuts in domestic initiatives.

    Congressman Jefferson today appealed to fellow members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) and members representing the Gulf states to reject a supplemental that would exclude the Katrina provisions. 

    Jefferson said, “Anyone who has driven through New Orleans East, the Lower Ninth  Ward or Gentilly can appreciate that the recovery efforts in these areas have never gotten off the ground. It has been 21 months since Katrina rendered countless neighborhoods like these uninhabitable.   Stripping the Katrina provisions from this bill would mean residents would have to wait even longer before they saw any substantial progress made with federal money.  That’s asking too much.”

     Jefferson convinced many if not all CBC members as well as other Democrats that they should vote against a supplemental minus Katrina provisions.  Their votes would prevent the final bill from passing, which helped House Leadership work with the White House to keep these essential provisions alive.  
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       Seven provisions written or co-written by Congressman Jefferson and other Gulf Coast Members are included in the current structure of the supplemental.  

The provisions are as follows:

$1.3 billion for east and west bank levee protection and coastal restoration system in New Orleans and surrounding parishes.  This was proposed by Congressman Jefferson and Gulf Coast Members.

$25 million for Small business Administration disaster loans.  This provision was a direct request of Congressman Jefferson.

$30 million for higher education assistance. This was another provision proposed by Congressman Jefferson to attract higher education professionals back to New Orleans. 

Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) extension to September 30, 2010- before the final supplemental bill is passed.  SSBG funding provides financing for programs for mental health, child welfare and drug addictions.  This is another provision directly requested by Congressman Jefferson.

$30 million for Kindergarten through 12th grade education recruitment assistance.
(Proposed by Congressman Jefferson and other Gulf Coast Members.)

Community Disaster Loan Forgiveness.  This provision includes language similar to that in the Hurricane Katrina and Rita Federal Match Relief Act of 2007, which was introduced by Majority Whip James Clyburn. Congressman Jefferson had a stand-alone bill on this subject that Clyburn’s bill included.

$3.1 billion for FEMA disaster recovery grants.  In this provision, the federal government assumes full payment of the grants, and state and local match funds for these grants are waived.  This provision was a direct request of Congressman Jefferson.