Right-Wing Amendment Forces Katrina Victims To Find A Job Before Receiving Aid

[Ian David]

The House today is debating the Gulf Coast Hurricane Housing Recovery Act of 2007.

Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX), chairman of the conservative Republican Study Committee, introduced an amendment that would require victims of Hurricane Katrina to perform 20 hours/week of approved “work activities” to receive financial aid for housing.



The Institute for Southern Studies reports that Louisiana is “still largely an economic disaster area as a result of Katrina.” Many jobs have disappeared, and the first houses in the Lower Ninth Ward weren’t completed until late last month, amid a “sea of ruin.”

In an impassioned speech, Rep. David Scott (D-GA) addressed Hensarling on the House floor:

This amendment is cruel, it is cold, it is calculating, and it is pandering to the schizophrenic dichotomy that has plagued this nation since they first brought Africans on these shores from Africa. And that is the issue of race and poverty. Let me tell you something, gentleman. Where were you, where was your amendment when the Twin Towers were hit and the people in New york suffered that catastrophe? There was no cry before we gave them help. “They got to go get a job.” Everybody was there and poured in help, as they should, the American way. Where was your amendment down in Florida when the hurricanes hit down there? Nobody said, “Make ‘em work before we help them.”

Watch it:
http://thinkprogress.org/wp-content/plugins/flvplayer.swf?file=http://images1.americanprogress.org/il80web20037/ThinkProgress/flv/2007/03/henskatr.320.240.flv&autoStart=false

More:
http://thinkprogress.org/2007/03/20/katrina-amendment-race/

[don954]

1. he really should watch what he proposes

after all, Georgia is a hurricane state too...

[ellacott]

2. Why should he watch what he says?

What does Georgia having hurricanes have to do with anything that he said?

[don954]

10. He shouldn't set a precedent that his constituents may have to follow

one day..

[no_hypocrisy]

3. Rudy Giuliani did something similar in NYC during his "reign".

He hired Jason Turner from Wisconsin to run the Human Services department. The deal was if you wanted to be paid (or continue to be paid) welfare benefits, you had to work a minimum number of hours per week. Otherwise, no housing stipend, no child stipend, no health stipend, etc. And to make it "easier" to find a job, he fired union workers and hired the welfare beneficiaries at minimum wage to pick up garbage in front of city hall, etc. A lot of people couldn't literally afford this new requirement as they were trying to get their high school equivalency certificates, had to pay for childcare (which they couldn't afford) while they had to pick up garbage at minimum wage, etc., and they were more or less confined to where they were due to the fact that they had no time to get education and work skills in order to eventually get off of welfare.

[quiet.american]

4. Could you clarify what that had to do with 9/11 survivors and victims receiving compensation?

There was no "20-hours-a-week-on-the-job" qualifier for those financially impacted by 9/11 to receive compensation.

[no_hypocrisy]

6. Nothing as far as specific application to a disaster like 9-11.

My point was that certain municipalities are municipal corporations and find ways to cut costs using workfare in general application. The situation cited in the original post (New Orleans survivors) reminded me that this "qualification" of benefits has had precedents. It's even more odious since the victims are further compromised in their status and are victimized by the government as well as circumstances.

[quiet.american]

7. 'Preciate your comments. n/t

[Solo_in_MD]

5. Classic Workfare

Although I could envision where using some sort of barter system, some would do child care while others help clean up a neighborhood. It could be done for no money and have positive results. Then again, that might look like some sort of commune or barter system which we can not allow in this country

[noonwitch]

8. Are there jobs for them down there?

I would suspect that is one of the main problems is that there are not enough jobs around the region. It did sound like volunteer work (Habitat for Humanity, for example) could count for that 20 hours, though. I am quite sure there is still a lot of that to do in the area.

I'm big on Habitat, because people who volunteer learn some building skills, that make them more marketable to employers, and they get to work with people who can give them good references, also.

[FormerDittoHead]

9. "approved" work activities?

How about trying to get your life back together after the federally built and managed levies fail? I'd consider that a full time job.

I'm guessing the majority of "work" down there has something to do with Halliburton/TRW/federally connected companies hiring people at near-minimum and billing the government $75 an hour?

I'm wondering if the "approved" work activities include full time phone campaigning to oust "impassioned" public servants like David Scott.