Congressional Black Caucus
"The Conscience of Congress since 1969"
www.congressionalblackcaucus.net

(Washington, D.C.) - U.S. Representative Edolphus Towns (D-NY) will deliver the weekly CBC "Message to America" radio address this Saturday, December 17, 2005.  Representative Towns discusses the CBC Hurricane Katrina Bill and urges individuals to take action and get involved to get the bill passed.

The CBC "Message to America" is distributed nationwide to the American Urban Radio Network's (AURN) affiliate stations.

            WHO:         U.S. Representative Edolphus Towns (D-NY)
            WHEN:       Saturday, December 17, 2005; 12:06 p.m. EST
            WHERE:     American Urban Radio Network Affiliate Stations

Representative Towns is expected to deliver the following remarks:

This is Congressman Ed Towns, representing New York's 10th Congressional District and a member of the Congressional Black Caucus. 

On August 29, 2005, the United States experienced its worst natural disaster in history. Hurricane Katrina battered the Gulf Coast states of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama leaving in her wake an unprecedented amount of dislocation and destruction.

Hurricane Katrina exposed the depths of poverty in this country and the callousness of this Administration. We witnessed the slow federal response to the misery and desperation of thousands of American citizens sequestered at the New Orleans Superdome, waiting on bridges or clinging to their rooftops.

Today, we still have thousands of people without housing, jobs, food, medicine, and for the displaced, no answer to the question: When can I go home? In New Orleans, much of the city is still without power.

Just this week, the President told NBC News that $62 billion is on the table for the Gulf Coast.  If that is the case, we need to get the money off the table and into the hands of the people who need it.

We have people who need to get a reprieve from paying their mortgages until their homes are in a livable condition.

Business owners need assistance getting their businesses up and running. Those individuals unemployed at the end of February need to know that they will have their unemployment extended for another 26 weeks.

We need to bring home the displaced residents of the Gulf Coast region and include them first in the rebuilding opportunities. This would employ those who live in New Orleans, but could not find work in New Orleans. Plus, enhance the small businesses in the area. 

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is the Administration's lead agency handling this catastrophe. The manner in which FEMA is handling this crisis is shameful. Their lack of consistency makes it extremely difficult to effectively provide services to those who need it most.

We must rebuild New Orleans and the Gulf Coast region. The culture of the city is unique and the region is integral to the economy of the nation and the world. We are rebuilding Iraq. We must rebuild New Orleans and the Gulf Coast region.

The Congressional Black Caucus has introduced HR 4197, a bill designed to rebuild the Gulf Coast region. I would like to urge everyone within the sound of my voice to call their Member of Congress and tell them to vote for HR 4197, the Congressional Black Caucus bill to rebuild the Gulf area.

Also call the White House and let the President know that you haven't forgotten his promise to rebuild New Orleans and the Gulf Coast.  Let him know that you are asking him to keep his promise.   

If we don't keep Hurricane Katrina on the front burner, our leaders in Washington will gladly take it off the stove. 

Pick up the phone, write a letter, send an email to support HR 4197.  Together, we can rebuild the Gulf region.

This is Congressman Ed Towns, member of the Congressional Black Caucus.  

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