[StBernard] The Word from Washington - Updates on offshore revenue-sharing, WRDA, and more

[Westley Annis]

Dear Friend,

As 2006 comes to an end, I want to say it was a pleasure to meet and talk
with so many friends across the 3rd District over the past year.  For those
of you I have had the opportunity to meet with or who have corresponded with
my staff, I appreciate hearing your ideas for what can be done to make life
better in south Louisiana.  Please keep the input coming.

I was especially encouraged to hear people express gratitude for the support
Louisiana has secured in Congress for hurricane reconstruction and
protection and hope for our future. In the last three months alone, over
$150 million in disaster recovery grants has been designated for parishes in
the 3rd District. We have a long road ahead, but we have already made
enormous strides this year.

Offshore Revenue-Sharing Legislation

This month marked a historic victory for Louisiana's future. After decades
of producing energy for our country and getting almost none of the royalties
in return; after decades of watching our coastal marshes, estuaries, and
barrier islands wash away into the Gulf; after decades of fighting in
Congress for a fair royalty-sharing agreement, we finally secured a better
deal for Louisiana. In the closing hours of the 109th Congress, both the
House and Senate passed the Domenici-Landrieu Gulf of Mexico Energy Security
Act (S. 3711) and the President signed the bill into law earlier this week.
 
The passage of this important legislation increases energy production in the
Gulf of Mexico and gives Louisiana a substantial share-projected at $13
billion over the next 30 years-of royalties from oil and natural gas
drilling off of our shores for coastal restoration, hurricane protection and
flood control projects.  
  
The legislation also includes a two-year extension of the Gulf Opportunity
(GO) Zone tax incentive that provides strong incentives for companies to
invest in the Louisiana parishes hit hardest by last year's hurricanes.  
 
I want to thank all the people who have fought for years for offshore
revenue sharing, including the entire Louisiana Congressional delegation,
Gov. Blanco, and advocacy groups like Women of the Storm, America's WETLAND,
Parishes Against Coastal Erosion, the Coalition to Restore Coastal
Louisiana, and many others who have worked tirelessly to help educate
members of Congress about how crucial revenue-sharing is for Louisiana's
future.
 
 
Hurricane Recovery

To help lay the groundwork for Congress to pass this critical
revenue-sharing legislation, in August I led a delegation of 25 Democratic
members of Congress to the Gulf Coast to commemorate the anniversary of
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and view how much work still needs to be done
for Louisiana to fully recover.  I wanted the members to meet directly with
the people in Louisiana who are working every day to rebuild our schools,
our homes, our health care system, our levees, and our state. Not only did
we open a lot of eyes, but we developed specific legislative goals that will
help Louisiana cut through the bureaucratic red tape holding us back and
finally get the assistance we need to recover and rebuild.

These goals were outlined in the House Katrina Task Force's October report
entitled "Response, Relief, and Recovery: Katrina and Beyond." This report
is a detailed plan of action for how we in Congress can better help
Louisiana and the entire Gulf Coast recover from Katrina and Rita. Better
levees, reforming FEMA, and fast-tracking coastal restoration and
comprehensive hurricane protection projects are all included. This report is
also a blueprint for how we can better respond to disasters in the future,
wherever they may strike. You can read the Katrina Task Force report by
going to the homepage of my website (www.melancon.house.gov) and clicking on
the link in the welcome letter.

Water Resources Development Act (WRDA)

As you may remember, in 2005 we were able to pass the Water Resources
Development Act in the House, which included authorizations for over $1.2
billion for vital south Louisiana hurricane protection and coastal
restoration projects.  Among the many important projects that will be
authorized once WRDA is passed is the Morganza to the Gulf hurricane and
storm protection project. When the entire Morganza to the Gulf project is
complete, this series of levees, locks and other flood control systems
through Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes will protect about 200,000 people
and 1,700 square miles of land against the kind of catastrophic flooding and
storm surges we experienced during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. 
 
This September, I was also able to pass a motion in the House instructing
the negotiators of the final WRDA bill to mandate that all flood and
hurricane protection projects authorized in WRDA for south Louisiana be
built to category five level of a protection. I am pleased Congress,
including the entire Louisiana delegation, voiced their support for category
five protection by overwhelmingly passing this motion.
 
Although the Senate passed their version of WRDA this summer, the House and
Senate leadership were unable to negotiate a compromise bill and once again
Congress adjourned without passing this important piece of legislation. 
 
Like many people in south Louisiana, I am very discouraged by Congress's
inability to pass WRDA. Despite the fact that they are supposed to pass a
new WRDA bill every two years, Congress has not passed a WRDA bill in SIX
years, putting countless much-needed projects on hold. With the new
leadership in Congress, I am hopeful that we will finally pass a WRDA in
2007 and get moving on important hurricane protection and coastal
restoration projects in south Louisiana.
 
  
Morganza to the Gulf Hurricane Protection
 
When it became clear in the final hours of the 109th Congress that, yet
again, we were not going to be able to pass a WRDA, other members of the
Louisiana delegation and I introduced stand-alone legislation authorizing
key sections of the Morganza to the Gulf project. Rep. Richard Baker and I
were able to get the bill (H.R. 6428) passed in the House, and Senators Mary
Landrieu and David Vitter introduced similar legislation in the Senate. 
 
In a surprising turn of events, one lone Republican Senator from Oklahoma
used a procedural tactic to block passage of our bill. Despite our pleas
with him to reconsider, the Senator refused to lift his hold and the bill
was unable to pass in the Senate before they adjourned. 
 
Nonetheless, my colleagues from Louisiana and I are more determined then
ever to push through reauthorization of the Morganza project as soon as
possible in the 110th Congress. 



Looking Forward to 2007: Giving Louisianians a Stronger Voice in Congress

I appreciate your confidence in the work that I am doing in Congress. I
believe this coming year will mark a turning point for our country. The
voices of those who have been ignored and left behind in recent years have
finally been heard. I look forward to continuing to advocate for your needs
and values for another two years.


I am honored as well that my colleagues in Congress chose me to serve on the
Democratic Steering Committee, where I am working to make sure hurricane
recovery, coastal restoration, and protecting our coastal communities from
future storms are top priorities for Congress and the leadership.
Furthermore, my nomination to the Energy and Commerce Committee will give
Louisiana a strong voice on this powerful committee with jurisdiction over
health, energy, environment, telecommunications, commerce, and oversight
issues. I look forward to this challenging new opportunity to serve the
people of Louisiana.

I hope you and your family have a wonderful end to 2006 and a prosperous
2007. I will be home in south Louisiana for several weeks, visiting with
constituents and listening to your concerns. 

Please do not hesitate to contact my office toll free at 866-289-9210 with
your comments and concerns.  For more news and helpful information, please
visit my website at www.melancon.house.gov.

Sincerely,

CHARLIE MELANCON
Member of Congress