It's the anniversary. Have a cry. Vent your rage.
Then we need to talk about getting the Gulf Coast out of the 2008 political lockbox.
Because, while it may be tempting to beat the Republicans to death next year with their response to Katrina, the Gulf Coast can't wait that long.
Let's make something more than noise. Let's do something more than giving time and money to relief efforts.
Since the Democrats took power in January, no fewer than
67 Katrina & Rita recovery-related Bills have been introduced in Congress. There are probably more, but IANACR
(I am not a Congressional researcher)
Here's the good news:
None have failed on floor votes.
Here's the bad news:
Most are lanquishing in committees.
And, for the really bad news:
Other than the recovery sections of the Iraq supplemental, and those in the 2008 budget, almost nothing else has even been voted on by both chambers.
Nothing on affordable housing, Nothing on insurance anti-trust reform, nothing on beefing up the SBA or training up health care workers. Nothing on infrastructure projects.
Floor votes folks, we need floor votes.
So use the link above, and play a little game of "whatever happened to..." on your favorite piece of recovery legislation. Then drop the committee chair, or the sponsor, or the leadership a line.
The Democrats control the Congress. It's time to get some votes on the boards, and at the very least, to get the other guys on the record.
It's our bad now.