[StBernard] Fighting for Morganza to the Gulf on the Senate floor

[Westley Annis]

NOTE: To try and put an end to the constant delays I've increased the
pressure on the Corps to get moving and recently spoke on the Senate floor
to further criticize the Corps' delays.  You can see the video clip of my
arguing for less bureaucracy and more progress from the Corps: 

 
<http://vitter.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Multimedia.Video&Video
_id=1d4a464e-08cf-f549-3338-2a3706f053a2&PageNum=1>  

  

Dear Friend, 

	

We in Louisiana are all too familiar with the bureaucratic delays by the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to provide hurricane protection for our
community, especially through the Morganza to the Gulf project, which would
provide critical storm and flood protection for Terrebonne and Lafourche
Parishes.   

	

To try and put an end to the constant delays I've increased the pressure on
the Corps to get moving and recently spoke on the Senate floor to further
criticize the Corps' delays.  You can see the video clip of my arguing for
less bureaucracy and more progress from the Corps here
<http://vitter.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Multimedia.Video&Video
_id=1d4a464e-08cf-f549-3338-2a3706f053a2&PageNum=1> . 

	

The Morganza to the Gulf project has a long and frustrating history.
Congress actually approved the entire project for construction in the Water
Resources and Development Act of 2000.  Unfortunately, the Corps of
Engineers repeatedly missed the statutory deadline to initiate work.
Frankly, I'm tired of waiting on the Corps and their excuses.  We need to
start turning dirt and providing protection for South Louisiana. 

	

But politicians in Washington are so out of touch.  Besides pushing horrible
wasteful spending, they are also trying to demonize me for holding the Corps
accountable to complete these critical storm protection projects.  They say
that the Corps - the government entity that failed Louisiana and cost lives
and still creates hardship and pain for so many south Louisianians - is
right to disregard existing law and not act on critical needs like Morganza.


	

We are going to build a smarter, better flood protection system in
Louisiana, and then we are going to continue to move forward with an even
greater level of hurricane, flood, and coastal protection for Louisiana. Our
citizens deserve to have full confidence in our protection systems, and rest
assured I'll keep working to ensure it happens. 

Sincerely, 


David Vitter
U.S. Senator