III 

110TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 491 

Recognizing the need and importance of providing additional Federal funds 

for the Secretary of the Army to carry out hurricane, coastal, and 

flood protection and hurricane and flood damage reduction activities 

and related features in the State of Louisiana. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MARCH 31 (legislative day, MARCH 13), 2008 

Mr. VITTER submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on Environment and Public Works 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the need and importance of providing additional 

Federal funds for the Secretary of the Army to carry 

out hurricane, coastal, and flood protection and hurricane and flood damage reduction activities and related 

features in the State of Louisiana. 

Whereas the restoration of the infrastructure, hurricane, 

flood protection, ecosystem, and habitat of the State of 

Louisiana is critical to the United States economy because— 

(1) Louisiana is the key to United States energy security, providing nearly 30 percent of the energy required 

to power the United States economy; 

(2) Louisiana provides more than 25 percent of the 

seafood consumed in the United States; 


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•SRES 491 IS 

(3) Louisiana provides the largest port system in the 

world (having 5 of 15 ports with the most total tonnage 

of all ports in the United States); and 

(4) more than 36 States depend on maritime commerce on waterways in Louisiana to receive goods and 

services; 

Whereas, in 2005, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated 

Louisiana, causing the death of more than 1,400, the loss 

of 217 square miles of coastal land and wetlands, and destroyed the integrity and performance of the hurricane 

protection system; 

Whereas in Louisiana Hurricanes Katrina and Rita initially 

caused the evacuation and displacement of 1,300,000 

residents of Louisiana, destroyed more than 200,000 

homes, 40 schools, and 10 hospitals, damaged 835 

schools, flooded more than 16,000 businesses, caused the 

loss of 179,000 jobs, and resulted in property losses of 

more than $100,000,000,000 in the State; 

Whereas Louisiana had a reduction in gross State product of 

$7,400,000,000 during the period beginning on the date 

of occurrence of Hurricane Katrina and ending on June 

30, 2006; 

Whereas Federal funds are needed, in addition to the fiscal 

year 2009 budget request of the President, to reduce the 

risk to the greater New Orleans, Louisiana, area from 

storm surges to provide at least an updated 100-year 

protection standard and address associated flood protection needs to meet the President’s commitment to complete the Corps of Engineers work necessary for the updated 100-year protection standard for the greater New 

Orleans area by the 2011 hurricane season; 


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•SRES 491 IS 

Whereas, in accordance with section 7012(c) of the Water 

Resources Development Act of 2007 (121 Stat. 1279), 

the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of 

the House of Representatives and the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate may adopt a 

resolution to allow for appropriation of additional Federal 

funds that exceed 25 percent of the authorized level for 

the activities identified in subsection (a) of that section; 

Whereas, the historic cost share for current and future work 

for the Southeast Louisiana Project is 75 percent Federal and 25 percent non-Federal, in accordance with section 533(d) of the Water Resources Development Act of 

1996 (110 Stat. 3775), as reconfirmed by Congress in 

subsequent supplemental legislation related to the 2005 

hurricanes; and 

Whereas, the historic cost share for the Lake Pontchartrain 

and Vicinity project is 70 percent Federal and 30 percent 

non-Federal, in accordance with section 204 of the Flood 

Control Act of 1965 (79 Stat. 1077), as reconfirmed by 

Congress in subsequent supplemental legislation: Now, 

therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) recognizes the urgency for Congress to ap3 prove additional Federal funds required by the 

4 Corps of Engineers by October 1, 2008, to complete 

5 hurricane, coastal, and flood protection and hurri6 cane and flood damage reduction activities and re7 lated features to meet the President’s commitment 

8 to complete the Corps of Engineers work necessary 

9 for the updated 100-year protection standard for the 


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•SRES 491 IS 

1 greater New Orleans area by the 2011 hurricane 

2 season; and 

3 (2) finds that, given the significance and con4 sequences of the 2005 Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, 

5 the additional Federal funds to reduce the risk to 

6 the greater New Orleans, Louisiana, area from 

7 storm surges and to provide at least an updated 

8 100-year protection standard and address associated 

9 flood protection needs shall be carried out at full 

10 Federal expense. 

Æ 


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