[StBernard] E-Update From Senator David Vitter

[Westley Annis]

IN THIS ISSUE

KEEPING COMMUNITIES SAFE AFTER NATURAL DISASTERS 
IMPLEMENTING COMPREHENSIVE HURRICANE RESEARCH 
RAISING BREAST CANCER AWARENESS 

The U.S. Senate is in recess for the month of October following a very busy
September.  An amendment I introduced to help law enforcement officials
track criminals after natural disasters passed and has become law.  I was in
Shreveport earlier this month and met with Caddo Parish Sheriff Steve Prator
about it.  Sheriff Prator is one of the law enforcement officials who first
brought the problem of tracking these criminals to my attention.

I am also a cosponsor of legislation that will implement more extensive
hurricane research.  Last year's hurricane season reminded us just how
important it is to understand hurricanes and their destructive behavior, and
this legislation will allow scientists to investigate that further.  

Following you can read more about my work on keeping communities safe,
implementing comprehensive hurricane research, improving early detection of
breast cancer and other key issues for Louisiana families. 

 David Vitter

P.S. - Please feel free to forward the newsletter to your friends, neighbors
and business associates, and encourage them to sign up for their own copy by
visiting my Web site at http://vitter.senate.gov/.  




Keeping Communities Safe After Natural Disasters

In the wake of hurricanes Rita and Katrina, Louisianians were displaced all
over the country, and some of those moving into New communities included
criminals and threats to public safety.  I heard from numerous law
enforcement officials from across the state that FEMA was not helping them
track convicted sex offenders and other wanted criminals based on overly
restrictive privacy laws.

Because of this, I added a provision to the U.S. Department of Homeland
Security Appropriations Bill that assists federal, state and local law
officials with tracking criminals after major disasters.  My amendment
allows FEMA to aid state attorneys general and state and local law
enforcement in locating convicted sex offenders, parole violators, escaped
convicts and wanted criminals.    

To read more about how I am working to keep communities safe after natural
disasters, please visit this link
<http://vitter.senate.gov/?module=PressRoom/VittersView&ID=dd7b9acc-c07b-44b
d-ac09-f0e1f02dd5bb> . 


Implementing Comprehensive Hurricane Research

Hurricanes Rita and Katrina also reminded us how important it is to be able
to accurately forecast and predict hurricanes.  That is why I cosponsored a
bipartisan bill to implement the National Hurricane Research Initiative,
which is intended to help scientists better predict hurricanes and help
citizens better prepare for hurricanes.  

By better understanding hurricanes, forecasters can make more accurate
predictions, state governments can be more prepared and hopefully the damage
hurricanes cause on infrastructure can be minimized.  The legislation sets
specific goals for NHRI including predicting hurricane intensification,
storm surge, and rainfall, as well as improved disaster response and
recovery and evacuation planning. 

To read more about the hurricane legislation, please visit this link
<http://vitter.senate.gov/?module=PressRoom/VittersView&ID=147254eb-905d-43d
6-9c3f-e90e3a624e2e> .




Raising Breast Cancer Awareness

October is breast cancer awareness month and a reminder of how important it
is to continue fighting this devastating disease.  When my wife Wendy was 6,
she lost her mother to breast cancer, and that is part of the reason I have
been an advocate for breast cancer awareness during my time in office.

I have supported a number of bills during my time in the U.S. Congress that
would provide more women with access to tools that can help detect and fight
cancer.  For example, I have supported crucial legislation to ensure genetic
nondiscrimination, access to cancer therapies and funding for research tools
to learn the environmental causes of breast cancer.  We must advance
research if we want to beat this life-threatening disease, and I am working
in the U.S. Senate to increase federal resources to win this fight. 

To read more about breast cancer prevention, please visit here
<http://vitter.senate.gov/?module=breastcancerinfo> .