WP,pg1: Louisiana Goes After Federal Billions ($40B request)

[DeepModem Mom]

Louisiana Goes After Federal Billions
By Michael Grunwald and Susan B. Glasser
Washington Post Staff Writers
Monday, September 26, 2005; Page A01


Louisiana's congressional delegation has requested $40 billion for Army Corps of Engineers projects in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, about 10 times the annual Corps budget for the entire nation, or 16 times the amount the Corps has said it would need to protect New Orleans from a Category 5 hurricane.

Louisiana Sens. David Vitter (R) and Mary Landrieu (D) tucked the request into their $250 billion Hurricane Katrina Disaster Relief and Economic Recovery Act, the state's opening salvo in the scramble for federal dollars.

The bill, unveiled last week, would create a powerful "Pelican Commission" controlled by Louisiana residents that would decide which Corps projects to fund, and ordered the commission to consider several controversial navigation projects that have nothing to do with flood protection. The Corps section of the Louisiana bill, which was supported by the entire state delegation, was based on recommendations from a "working group" dominated by lobbyists for ports, shipping firms, energy companies and other corporate interests.

The bill would exempt any Corps projects approved by the commission from provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act and the Clean Water Act. It would also waive the usual Corps cost-sharing requirements, ensuring that federal taxpayers would pay every dime.

With the public eager to help Katrina's victims, President Bush and Congress have already approved $62.3 billion in spending for the Gulf Coast. But some budget hawks are grumbling about the impact on the deficit; the Louisiana delegation's $250 billion bill would cost more than the Louisiana Purchase under the Jefferson administration on an inflation-adjusted basis. Some critics of federal water projects said the $40 billion Corps request could make the delegation look especially greedy and undermine support for the state's reconstruction plans....


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/25/AR2005092501413.html

[jwirr]

1. When all is said and done, will the poor have anything out

of this package or are the taxpayers being asked to fund a fat cat fantasy program? I do not think the rich owners of condos, hotels, ship yards, oil refineries, etc. should be on the dole unless there are housing programs for the poor/working poor, schools, hospitals, etc. included.

[saigon68]

2. Wait til HALLIBURTON puts in ITS REQUEST

Then the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ will flow.

[mom cat]

3. Bingo!