REP. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ STATEMENT ON HURRICANE KATRINA’S TENTH ANNIVERSARY

Washington, DC – U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23) issued the following statement in memory of Hurricane Katrina’s tenth anniversary:

“Ten years have passed since Hurricane Katrina ravaged New Orleans and the Gulf Region, leaving in its wake a trail of death, destruction, and despair. It broke New Orleans’ levees, and in turn, many people’s lives were lost or upended.

“But before Katrina destroyed New Orleans, it hit South Florida first. It caused more than $600 million in damages and left over a million Floridians without power, while killing, either directly or indirectly, 14 people.

“Hurricane Katrina taught us sobering and difficult lessons in how our government should prepare and respond to natural disasters. As President Obama said yesterday, we learned the life-saving importance of “trust and effective communication between citizens, government and civil society.”

“In the wake of Katrina, I stood with all 24 of my Florida colleagues and introduced legislation requiring FEMA to issue individual assistance to residents of Miami-Dade and Broward Counties. Such bipartisan dedication served as a vital lesson after Katrina, and one that I carry with me today.

“Today, as South Florida prepares for yet another tropical storm, I urge Congress, and my Florida colleagues in particular, to be ready to help those in need after natural disasters, wherever they strike. We must never allow Americans to be left to fend for themselves in the wake of a natural disaster.”