[StBernard] From the Morning Advocate

[Westley Annis]

Blanco urged to aid homeowners

By GERARD SHIELDS
Washington Correspondent 
Published: Jan 23, 2006 

WASHINGTON - Six of Louisiana's nine federal lawmakers signed a letter to
Gov. Kathleen Blanco urging her to use $6.2 billion in federal relief to
help homeowners without enough insurance coverage to handle their hurricane
claims.

Five of the letter signers were Republicans: Sen. David Vitter, R-La.; Rep.
Bobby Jindal, R-Kenner; Rep. Jim McCrery, R-Shreveport; Rep. Charles
Boustany, R-Lafayette; and Rep. Rodney Alexander, R-Quitman. The only
Democrat to sign the letter was Rep. William Jefferson, D-New Orleans.

The men pointed to Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour's commitment to use 80
percent of his federal Community Development Block Grant money to help
homeowners rebuild.

Absent from the letter to Blanco was the signature of Rep. Richard Baker,
R-Baton Rouge. Baker has stated that he doesn't think the state allocation
would be enough to cover the Louisiana losses. Baker is still hoping to move
The White House to support his Louisiana Recovery Corp. plan to purchase
properties with treasury bonds and redevelop them.

Blanco on Friday said she wants to spend $350 million of the money for
repairs to state buildings and aid to local governments and private
businesses.

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Rep. Charlie Melancon Up for Promotion

House Democrats are floating the name of U.S. Rep. Charles "Charlie"
Melancon, D-Napoleonville, as a possible successor to Jefferson on the
powerful House Ways and Means Committee if Jefferson is forced to step down,
according to the Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call. Jefferson is under
federal investigation for allegedly demanding cash payoffs in return for
political favors in a Nigerian telecommunications deal. He has denied any
wrongdoing.

A factor that might hold Melancon back is his likely tough re-election
challenge later this year from state Sen. Craig Romero, R-New Iberia, in a
district that voted 58 percent with President Bush in 2004.