New Orleans Mayor C. Ray Nagin yesterday called on Congress to fulfill President Bush’s promise to rebuild his city and to have levees repaired to withstand a Category 3 storm before the next hurricane season.
“There’s a very strong conservative element in Washington that is basically overly focused on the budget, and they want to maintain their presence in Iraq, and it seems as though New Orleans has been pushed to the background,” Mr. Nagin said.
“I think that’s very unfortunate. I am looking for Congress to honor the president’s commitment. He looked me in the eyes and said, ’We will rebuild New Orleans,’ and we’re going to hold him to that,” Mr. Nagin said.
Mr. Bush is asking Congress to shift $17 billion in hurricane relief toward rebuilding levees, roads and federal facilities.
Louisiana’s senators, Republican David Vitter and Democrat Mary L. Landrieu, are pushing legislation for $250 billion in rebuilding aid.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved $120 million for New Orleans to provide essential services and has sent the first installment of $20 million. Last month, Congress approved $18.5 billion to pay flood insurance claims.
Today, the Federal Housing Administration will announce a one-year program to pay the mortgages of 20,000 hurricane victims in the Gulf states with mortgage insurance.
Many mortgage companies voluntarily granted limited extensions on mortgages and foreclosures.
“These families have been devastated, not only are they living far from home right now, but many have lost their source of income,” said an advance copy of a speech scheduled to be delivered today by Alphonso R. Jackson, secretary of housing and urban development.
Appearing on ABC’s “This Week” program, Mr. Nagin said the president “seems to be pushing” for relief and rebuilding funds, “but I’m not sure if he’s pushing quite hard enough.”
“On the levees, for example, it would be great if the president would come out and say, ’Look, stop the madness, we’re going to rebuild the levees to at least Category 3, we’re going to do it right, before next hurricane season,’” Mr Nagin said.
Included in that senators’ rebuilding request is $32 billion to strengthen the New Orleans levee system to allow it to withstand a Category 5 hurricane. Mr. Nagin wants it rebuilt to Category 3 strength immediately, with the Category 5 goal as a longer-term project.
Asked why taxpayers nationwide should pay to rebuild New Orleans, Mr. Nagin replied: “My retort to that is, why should we be paying to rebuild Iraq? Why should we have rebuilt Japan?”
“You’re telling me that it’s more acceptable for Americans to spend money on foreign soil for foreign citizens than to spend money for New Orleans, which is an American city? I don’t get that, and it blows me away every time I hear that,” Mr. Nagin said.
Mr. Nagin conceded that “a certain amount of people” will not return to New Orleans. “You can’t have poor people get one-way tickets out and be spread out among 44 different states … and expect them to get back easily,” he said.
However, he discounted as “Republican testosterone” a statement by Mr. Jackson some weeks ago that the city’s population will not likely return to its former black majority status.
“I think the Republicans are looking at this thing not totally with clear eyes,” Mr. Nagin said. “People are frustrated. They’re upset with the president’s performance, and now they’re getting very upset with the Congress’ performance.”
“I think it could backfire, and I think that this state could turn even stronger blue,” Mr. Nagin said.
Host George Stephanopoulos, former communications director for President Clinton, laughed at Mr. Nagin’s response and said “You are an optimist.”
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