Washington, D.C. - In what can only be described as an Alamo like effort, U.S. Congressman Kevin Brady (R-The Woodlands) went to the House floor repeatedly Wednesday night offering amendment after amendment to the emergency hurricane supplemental bill that would have ensured Texas its fair share of federal hurricane relief funding.

 

"This hurricane relief bill overlooks even the most basic of Texas' needs and ignores all of the families, churches and communities that were heroic in their rallying to the aid of their Texas and Louisiana neighbors," stated Brady whose Eighth District communities were the first to welcome Katrina evacuees and then suffered their own hurricane disaster when the eye of Hurricane Rita plowed through Southeast and East Texas. 

 

"I'm disappointed in the House version of the bill, but it's a long way before this gets to the President's desk so we've got some more opportunities," said Brady. "Texas is tired of being offered lip service about being a good neighbor without getting the promised federal support to help meet the needs and challenges our state now faces."

 

Brady offered four amendments late last night that would have fully reimbursed local schools for their Katrina student expenses, added housing funding for Texas, funded the $2 billion request by Texas Governor Rick Perry to meet all of Texas needs, and directed federal agencies to use the most accurate and timely information when assessing disaster assistance needs in the Gulf Coast.

 

Each of the amendments was blocked from consideration by a procedural objection.  

 

"The fight for Texas' fair share of relief funding is going to continue.  We've still got the Senate side, conference committee, and a few other avenues of approach before the ink dries on this hurricane supplemental. We aren't giving up" said Brady. 

 

Some highlights of the $19.1 billion hurricane funding bill include: $9.55 billion for Disaster Relief Fund administered by FEMA, $4.2 billion Community Development Block Grants, $550 million to rebuild a Veterans' medical facility in New Orleans, $1.15 billion for various costs sustained by Department of Defense disaster assistance and recovery efforts, and $1.46 billion for levee repair through the Corp of Engineers.

 

A final vote in the House on the hurricane supplemental bill was held Thursday evening.  The bill will move now to the Senate for consideration.