Alabama Survivors of Hurricane Katrina Still Trying To Get Their Voices Heard

Fifty-five (55) hurricane survivors and advocates from Louisiana to Alabama braved a nearly 40 hour round-trip bus ride to lobby 2 days for The Gulf Coast Civic Works Act, HR 2269 which would create 100,000 prevailing wage jobs for the survivors of Hurricanes Katrina to rebuild their devastated maritime/seaport communities, and coastal wetlands environment. http://www.solvingpoverty.com/

 The proposed legislation won the endorsement of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, the Congressional Black Caucus, and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus at a briefing which kicked off the productive and inspiring two-day citizen lobby campaign. Advocates also lobbied for some 700 families in Alabama whose applications for federal rebuilding assistance were approved over two years ago; and for an unmet needs assessment for those who missed the unjust one week deadline. Those who were lucky enough to apply are mostly impoverished single parents with minor children. http://financialservices.house.gov/hearing110/baab.pdf

► At the request of Alabama Arise and three other non-profit organizations, Bill Johnson on behalf of Alabama Governor Bob Riley, wrote Congresswoman Maxine Waters updating his congressional testimony of last year (and the data referenced in Congressman Artur Davis’s letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi, see below) : “Families desperately clinging to land owned for generation dwell in homes that are largely obliterated…all unsafe, unhealthy structures sheltering mostly families with children, elderly or disabled. Johnson reiterated  his testimony before Chairman Barney Frank of the House Finance Committee, June 19, 2009. http://www.house.gov/apps/list/hearing/financialsvcs_dem/johnson.pdf 

Summary of Photographs

(photo #1 ) Jeffrey Buchanan, Information Officer for the Robert F Kennedy Center Washington DC, hands out “Hill Appointments” to Barbara and Rossie  Robbins from the historic African American community of Snows Quarters in Bayou La Batre.

(photo #2) Citizen lobbyists/hurricane survivors receive briefing after traveling all night.

(photo #3) Louisiana and Mississippi folks join fellow Alabama hurricane survivors and activists in a walk down the long hallways of the Buchanan Building to Alabama Congressman Parker Griffith’s office.

(photo # 4) Single parent and Phyllis Johnson, shows Congressman Griffith’s staff how she and her two teenage children still live in a Katrina devastated home with a partially repaired wall resulting in serious mold infestation. Mrs. Johnson, who works as a custodian, must survive on an annual income less than $16,000.

(photo #5) Barbara and Rosie Robbins showed Griffith staff  their 86 year old mother’s home -- which now has rotting floors almost two years after they say FEMA and local mayor approved vitally needed elevation.

(photo # 6) Ms. Johnson and other activists are invited to join Congressman Parker Griffith (standing) in his conference room.

(photos #7 and #8) Political Science Honor Society student Tiffany Roper (far left) from Montgomery’s HBCU AL State University drove all night (along with fellow Political Science student Roderick Clark, AL Arise Organizer Zack Carter, and photographer John Earl) to participate in the lobbying.

(photos  # 9 - #10) Talks at Alabama Congressman Parker Griffith’s office resulted in his agreement to consider co-sponsoring the Gulf Coast Civic Works Act; and to speak with Congresswoman Maxine Waters about including Alabama’s unmet Katrina needs of $100 million in her prospective revised Gulf Coast Recovery bill.

(photos # 11 – 16). Minutes after leaving Congressman Griffith’s office, Gulf Coast activists have another chance encounter with him on the street corner!

(photo # 19) Alabama State student Roderick Clark shaking hands with Congressman Parker Griffith.

(photos # 20- 21) First lobby day is finished…waiting on the bus for a well deserved meal and rest at local hotel.

(photo #22) Alabama activists Hubert Brandon, Zack Carter, and Roderick Clark invite, San José State Sociology professor and Co-Founder, Gulf Coast Civic Works Campaign to come to Alabama and speak about the bill.

(photos #22-23) Shelly Moskowitz who coordinates the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee’s Public Policy Office in DC confers with Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana activists.

(photos # 24-25) Gulf Coast advocates meet with U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce --one of five committees that will study the proposed Gulf Coast Civic Works Act.

(photos # 26 - 52) Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, California, and DC Gulf Coast advocates meet with Speaker Nancy Pelosi's Director of Intergovernmental Affairs, Cheryl Parker Rose, David Grimaldi senior counsel to U.S. House Majority Whip, Rep. James Clyburn and Kate Christensen, senior counsel, to HR 2269 lead sponsor Rep. Zoe Lofgren.

(photos # 53-55) Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana advocates meet with Alabama Congressman Artur Davis staff person Nichelle Williams.

(photo # 58 - 60) Celebrating end of the productive lobby trip.

► Alabama Congressman Artur Davis wrote to Speaker Nancy Pelosi of November 13,   2008 (this letter is bipartisan, preceded by similar request from Alabama Senator Shelby, and Representative Jo Bonner):“…recent testimony of Bill Johnson…on behalf of Governor Riley [showed that in]…Mobile and Baldwin counties, over 3,400 occupied housing units suffered major or severe damage…1,020 units qualify for assistance, however…with existing funds, the county will be able to assist less than 300 households…Mr. Johnson projected that an “additional $100 to $110 million will enable the state of Alabama to adequately address its disaster recovery housing needs.”     

►The DC based National Low Income Housing Coalition protested to Congress in December 2008 that: “Out of the Gulf Coast states, Alabama is the lone state not to have received additional appropriations in FY09 for Katrina aid”  
http://www.nlihc.org/doc/NLIHC-economic-recovery-proposal%20-Senate-leaders.pdf