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Congressman Cohen Visits New Orleans on Second Anniversary of Katrina

August 28, 2007

Washington, DC – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) is headed to New Orleans to view the areas that were devastated when Hurricane Katrina made landfall on August 29, 2005.

“I have seen the photos and read the stories, but it will be much easier to get a feel for the magnitude of the destruction by visiting and seeing it all first-hand,” said Cohen. “Although it has been two years since Katrina hit, there is still a lot to rebuild and a lot of preparations to make to ensure that no community is as unprepared as we were for this hurricane.”

The non-partisan group called Women of the Storm, founded after Katrina with the goal of educating elected leaders about the needs of those affected by the hurricane, will give Congressman Cohen a tour of the housing areas and wetlands that were hardest hit. To date, Women of the Storm have provided tours for 57 U.S senators and 122 congressmen.

“Women of the Storm is thrilled that a first-term representative is taking time during the August recess to come down here,” said Anne Milling, one of the founders of Women of the Storm. “It is extremely important as we move into our third year of recovery to have officials like Congressman Cohen to see the area and see the damages and challenges.”

Congressman Cohen will also join New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin and other elected officials at several events to recognize the anniversary and to bring awareness about the slow recovery in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast region.

“It is important for members of Congress to show support for the redevelopment and to remember the tragedy that befell the city so that I will not happen again,” said Cohen. “While I am in New Orleans, I will take the opportunity to talk to officials about what changes need to be made and what steps Memphis should take now to prepare for possible earthquakes or tornadoes.”

Cohen, a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management which oversees the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), has been working to hold the agency accountable. The subcommittee was planning to hold investigative hearings this month about FEMA’s progress since Hurricane Katrina, but they have been postponed until November. Despite the postponement, Cohen kept his travel plans, paying for the trip at his own expense.

In July, Congressman Cohen joined Chairwoman Eleanor Holmes-Norton to inquire about a $67 million logistical blunder in which FEMA purchased and stored 84.9 million pounds of ice that was ultimately thrown away because FEMA had over-purchased.

“It is important that the federal government be able to step in and help in a timely manner and to use their resources efficiently,” said Cohen. “It is possible to be responsive and responsible. I hope to find answers to help the government be both.”

Congressman Cohen will be in New Orleans from August 29 to 31.


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