[StBernard] Democratic Party commitment to Gulf questioned

[Westley Annis]

By Bill Walsh
 
WASHINGTON -- An irate Rep. Charlie Melancon, D-Napoleonville, blasted the
congressional leader of his party Wednesday for what he called unfulfilled
promises to deliver help to hurricane victims on the Gulf Coast. 
 
Melancon's criticism of House Speaker Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California goes
against the public image Democrats have tried to project of caring more
about the hurricane recovery than Republicans do. As recently as last week,
Democratic House leaders met with Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco and renewed
their commitment to the recovery. 
 
But Melancon said the words haven't been backed up with action and, "I want
it exposed." 
 
"I am disappointed that Speaker Pelosi hasn't lived up to her commitment to
people of Louisiana, Mississippi and the Gulf Coast," Melancon said in an
interview. "I've gotten past the point where I think it's just
happenstance." 
 
A Pelosi spokesman said the speaker is sympathetic with the slow pace of the
recovery after the August 2005 storm. But he also said the party has taken
concrete steps such as urging President Bush to waive a requirement that
Louisiana pay 10 percent of the recovery costs and laying plans to send more
money to the Gulf Coast in a supplemental spending bill next month. 
 
"It's been a long time and we understand that people are impatient. They
want to see results," Brendan Daly said. "From the time the Democrats became
in charge, this has been a priority for us and it will continue to be." 
 
Throwing a bone? 
 
Melancon's biting words come a day before Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., the
majority whip, is scheduled to introduce legislation that would waive the 10
percent cost-sharing requirement, which has already cost Louisiana $400
million and is blamed for slowing some reconstruction efforts. The request
was the top item on Blanco's wish list when she made the rounds of Capitol
Hill last week. 
 
But, Melancon said that the leadership was "throwing me a bone" with the
bill and ignoring a dozen other requests state leaders have been making over
the past year. Among them: exempting federal rebuilding grants from
taxation, settling a dispute with the Federal Emergency Management Agency
that has tied up $1.2 billion in hazard mitigation money, and forgiving
hundreds of millions of dollars worth of loans to local communities whose
tax bases were decimated in the 2005 flooding. 
 
Melancon is refusing to attend a news conference today at which Clyburn is
to unveil the legislation. 
 
"I couldn't, with a straight face, show up and say this is what we're going
to do," Melancon said. "With all due respect to Mr. Clyburn, what he is
doing is the minimum. It's to throw something out to say we did something." 
 
Kristie Greco, a Clyburn spokeswoman, said she understood Melancon's
frustration, but also said things are moving along. She called the bill a
"short-term solution" and said Clyburn is scheduled to meet with committee
chairs Friday to address "long-term issues." 
"My boss's concern is moving on an issue that we can respond to quickly as a
new Congress and a new majority," Greco said
 
100-hour agenda 
 
Leading up to the mid-term elections, the Democrats made much of the Bush
administration's slow response to Hurricane Katrina 17 1/2 months ago.
Pelosi, Clyburn and Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., the majority leader, led a
much-publicized trip to the Gulf Coast in August with two dozen Democrats to
survey the damage and discuss problems with the recovery. 
 
While it may not have been a decisive issue in the November elections that
returned Democrats to the majority, it arguably played a role. 
 
Melancon, however, said that election promises Democratic leaders made
haven't been kept. In particular, he said that Pelosi had vowed to address
Katrina recovery in the first 100 hours of the Democratic majority, but
didn't. 
 
Daly, Pelosi's spokesman, said the speaker spelled out the six-item,
100-hour agenda months in advance and Katrina was never part of the mix. 
"She was very clear about what the 100 hours would be," he said. 
 
Melancon also said that Pelosi promised to establish a Katrina committee to
develop legislation. It hasn't happened. 
 
On Jan. 17, Melancon and Rep. Gene Taylor, D-Miss., a fellow conservative
Democrat, wrote to Pelosi asking her to set up a Katrina committee
comprising members from the Gulf Coast with "the ability to start work on
day one." 
 
Melancon said Pelosi told him at the House Democratic retreat in
Williamsburg, Va., two weeks ago that something would happen soon. 
 
Affordable housing 
 
"We're spending a week on (a resolution condemning President Bush's troop
increase in) Iraq. With that resolution and 25 cents you can buy a cup of
coffee in this town," Melancon said. "We've been put on the back burner. She
could have started getting committee staff assigned the day after the
November elections." 
 
One of the few Democrats Melancon praised was Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass.,
who as head of the Financial Services Committee held a hearing on the
shortage of affordable housing in the hurricane zone and proposed a bill to
shift $500 million in profits from mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie
Mac to build rental property. 
 
But Melancon expressed dismay that Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., chairwoman
of the housing subcommittee, has called for rewriting Louisiana's Road Home
grant program for flooded-out homeowners. 
 
Waters, who has traveled to the region five times, called the Road Home
program "a joke" and suggested at a hearing last week that Congress rewrite
the rules to speed the disbursement of checks. As of last week, only some
500 had been issued. 
"She wants to start from scratch," Melancon said. "If you stop it right now
and start anew, it will be another year" before the money flows. 
 
Melancon, a second-term Democrat whose South Louisiana district was hit by
both Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, has proved to be one of the most
conservative Democrats in the House. He served on the House committee that
investigated the response to Hurricane Katrina and was consistently critical
of the Bush administration's actions and policies. 
"When Republicans were wrong, I said they were wrong," he said. "When
Democrats are wrong I'm saying the same damn thing."