Senate Phone Script: Debris Reimbursement to Katrina Cities and Towns

Instructions: You state what is in italics. Fill in the blank with your own name. If requestted to provide your phone number and address, please do so. Smile! You have just made a difference! ;) -am

For contact information on your U.S. Congressional Representative and two U.S. Senators, click here.

Hello! My name is _____________, and I am a registered voter in (city, state). I would like to voice my opinion about FEMA and Katrina.

[The senatorial staff member will either transfer you to someone or take the message her/himself.]

Once again, the Bush Administration is betraying the American people. In particular, the Bush White House is betraying those struggling to survive Katrina. FEMA is calling into question the price that these towns paid for debris removal of in the days and weeks after Katrina devastated the area. Bush’s FEMA asserts that the towns paid too much and should have received competitive bids.

Let’s get something straight. The residents and town officials impacted directly from the storm did the best they could. Their first priority was survival. Their second was beginning to clean up Katrina’s mess. Unfortunately, the price gougers were there with their desperately needed help on the one hand and their stick-it-to-them invoices in the other.

At least the gougers helped the situation. When it comes to help, the Bush Administration consistently is AWOL. In fact, Bush’s White House is only in the latter category.—sticking it to the American people. With its hypocritical history of no-bid contracts to its campaign friends who gouge the American people, the Bush Administration is failing to reimburse these Louisiana and Mississippi towns by millions upon millions of dollars.

Without the money, the Katrina ravaged areas of our nation struggle desperately to put together basic governmental services. Police, fire, and public works projects require a stable and steady tax base to pay for these services most of us take for granted.

Dealing with the immediate and long term impact of the nation’s worst natural disaster is costly in terms of money, time, and its toll on the human spirit. We pay taxes so that we can pay for situations like Katrina. Please ensure that Bush’s FEMA live up to its responsibility to reimburse the debris removal costs to the towns and cities Katrina devastated.

As an American taxpayer and a voter, I am proud that we are the richest nation and most generous in the world. Let’s be this way to our own people in the Katrina ravaged region.

Can I count on Senator (last name of your congressional representative) to work with Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA) and Congressman Gene Taylor (D-MS) to resolve this issue favorably on behalf of the Katrina’s survivors?

[Note: More than likely, the staffer will state that your message will be relayed to your congressional representative. That’s fine.]

I appreciate that my message will be relayed to Representative [name of your congressional member]. Thank you for listening. Have a great day!

[Note: If the staffer asks you for your name, address, phone number, or zip code, please provide it. This assists your congressional member with understanding his/her district and therefore serving you and your family better.]

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