[StBernard] Word from Washington: Morganza, Gas Prices, $5.8 Billion for Levees

[Westley Annis]

The last few weeks have seen a lot of action in Washington that will affect
us in south Louisiana. My staff and I have been working very hard on many
pieces of legislation important to the Third District, and as the current
session begins to wind down, I would like to tell you about some of the most
recent developments.

Morganza-to-the-Gulf Cost Estimate Skyrockets
In Congress, I have been a strong supporter of the Morganza to the Gulf of
Mexico Hurricane and Storm Protection System, a 72-mile system of levees,
locks and floodgates that, when complete, will provide hurricane and flood
protection to about 120,000 people and 1,700 square miles in Terrebonne and
Lafourche Parishes who currently have no hurricane protection. 

Last year, the Louisiana delegation successfully fought in Congress for
Morganza to be authorized in the Water Resources Development Act of 2007.
After President Bush vetoed the bill - including authorization for Morganza
- I urged my colleagues in Congress to override the veto. The efforts of the
Louisiana delegation were successful and WRDA became law last November,
authorizing Morganza-to-the Gulf, as well as billions in other hurricane
protection and coastal restoration projects across south Louisiana.

I am disappointed to say that the Army Corps' cost estimates for Morganza
went from $882 million to over $11 billion in one year. The people of
Terrebonne and Lafourche urgently need some level of hurricane protection to
safeguard their homes and families from deadly storms, and this announcement
is yet another roadblock in their way.  This latest price increase is
outrageous.  I share the frustration of those in south Louisiana who have
been working and waiting for Morganza for years.

In the coming days and weeks, I plan to meet with leaders from both the
Terrebonne and Lafourche levee districts, as well as the head of the Corps'
New Orleans District Office, to find a way to keep Morganza on-track.

The Corps needs to develop a realistic plan to protect south Louisianians
from the next major storm, and stop making the perfect the enemy of the
good.  Otherwise, we'll go another 15 years without any protection in
Terrebonne and Lafourche, and by then it will be too late.

Taking Action on High Gas Prices
Utah Congressman Jim Matheson and I took action last week to address high
gas prices, introducing legislation giving a federal agency authority to
detect, prevent and punish price manipulators and speculators who trade U.S.
crude oil on foreign commodity exchanges. 

A major factor contributing to the record high price at the pump is what's
going on with Wall Street energy commodity traders. With this bill,
excessive manipulation and unscrupulous speculation can potentially be
detected and halted before more economic harm is done to consumers and
businesses.

Every day I hear from south Louisianians who are struggling to make ends
meet, between the slowing economy and skyrocketing gas prices.  In rural
parts of the country like south Louisiana, driving long distances to work,
school or for errands is a fact of life, not a choice.  As a result, rural
families and businesses are especially feeling the pain of out-of-control
gas prices.  This bill will work to stop price manipulation and speculation
in the energy sector and bring some measure of relief to consumers.

I also strongly support increased drilling offshore for oil and gas.
Louisiana has been supplying energy to the rest of the country for decades.
It's time other states do their share.  Even as we increase our use of
renewable "green" fuels, some fossil fuels will always be needed.  I support
the President's call for more offshore drilling, and will continue to urge
my colleagues in Congress to lift the moratorium on drilling on the
outer-continental shelf. 

House Passes Bill with Over $5.8 Billion for Levees and Hurricane Recovery
Last week, I voted in support of legislation that included almost $5.8
billion for New Orleans-area levees.  The bill also included a provision I
have long urged House leadership to fund: $73 million for housing vouchers
to shelter extremely low-income, disabled and elderly people left homeless
as a result of Hurricane Katrina. 

The housing and levee funding was included in the Iraq/Afghanistan
Supplemental Appropriations bill (H.R. 2642).  Since the storms of 2005,
nearly all hurricane recovery funding for south Louisiana has been passed as
part of the war emergency supplemental appropriations bills.  The bill will
now go to the Senate for further consideration.  

Half-built levees won't protect us from the next major storm, and  I am
pleased both Congress and the President have agreed to keep funding 100-year
flood protection for New Orleans, St. Bernard and upper Plaquemines. I am
especially grateful to the House Democratic leadership, who have traveled to
south Louisiana year after year to view the progress of our recovery and ask
us how they can help.  With this additional levee money, they have once
again proven their commitment to rebuilding New Orleans region and the Gulf
Coast.

They have also shown their compassion for our most needy: the elderly,
disabled, and extremely poor who were left homeless by the storms and are
still struggling to find permanent housing.  This bill will provide 3,000
housing vouchers to help get these vulnerable people off the streets and
into safe, permanent homes.  The Louisiana delegation was united in pushing
for this critical funding, and we are all pleased the White House has signed
off on it.

Unfortunately, many of our hurricane recovery needs did not make it through
this round of negotiations with the President.  Leadership in both the House
and the Senate supported additional funding for our levees, hospitals,
criminal justice system, and other needs. But the reality is, we were
working with a President who has called the domestic funding 'excessive' and
threatened to veto the entire bill because of it.  Even though the
additional recovery funding totaled less than what we spend in one day in
Iraq, these important priorities were not included in this supplemental.

Fortunately, this is not Louisiana's last shot at federal assistance. I will
continue working with the rest of the delegation to bring more hurricane
recovery and levee funding to south Louisiana.  We need to be investing in
the needs of this country - education, health care, infrastructure, and the
economy - and I will keep fighting for bills that support our priorities. 

As your representative in Congress, I am proud to be working on behalf of
the people of south Louisiana and see great things in our future. As always,
I would like to hear from you so please feel free to write, email or call my
offices and share your opinion on the many issues we are considering in
Congress.

Regards,

Charlie Melancon