From today's WaPo - Bush blames Congress(!) for Katrina recovery fiasco

[DancingBear]

(this is almost beyond belief)



Bush: Congress 'Shortchanged' New Orleans
Touring Gulf Coast, President Calls for Restoration of $1.5 Billion for Levee Repairs

By Michael A. Fletcher and Spencer S. Hsu
Washington Post Staff Writers
Thursday, March 9, 2006; Page A01


NEW ORLEANS, March 8 -- President Bush, on a Gulf Coast inspection tour that included his first visit to this city's storm-shattered Lower Ninth Ward, bluntly accused Congress on Wednesday of underfunding the repairs and called for speedy action to make good on federal commitments.

The president said Congress has been slow to provide funding to rebuild housing destroyed by Hurricane Katrina and, while pledging to make New Orleans's levees "equal or better than they were before" the storm, attacked a congressional decision last year to redirect $1.5 billion from his request to repair the region's flood-protection system to projects in other storm-affected states.

<snip>


The president's Gulf Coast trip was his 10th since Katrina devastated the region in August. "Congress heard our message about improving the levees, but they shortchanged the process by about $1.5 billion," Bush said, calling for the money to be restored.

<snip>


Also, independent experts have criticized the levee repair work, saying that it is being done with substandard materials and designs -- which the administration disputes.

"How can the nation have any confidence that the administration is capable of getting the recovery right?" said Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.). "Congress has an obligation to monitor the federal role with special vigilance, to be sure the rebuilding effort is as effective as possible as quickly as possible. The long-suffering people of New Orleans and other victims of Katrina deserve no less."



article at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/08/AR2006030800297.html

[izzie]

1. Guess the Port deal made him mad.

Who knows what Bush will say. He is always putting his foot in it.

[librechik]

2. Bushbots on the phone lines and chat forums singing the same song

heh--maybe the Pukkkes in congress won't be able to turn their tiny defiance against Bush on ports into a campaign plus after all! the base is still in love with the Chimp!

[mdmc]

3. Rat worm congress most likely to apologize

"we had no idea!"

Thanks for the thread, dancing bear.