For Immediate Release

"For the people of the Gulf Coast who survived Hurricane Katrina, this is more than a "one year anniversary." It's a hole they're still trying to dig themselves out of with too little help from the federal government. The housing needs of evacuees are still unmet. New Orleans' infrastructure is still in disarray and trash litters the streets. Businesses in the Gulf Coast are hanging on by a thread. We knew one year ago that government's response to Katrina failed the Gulf Coast. We know today, that one year later, too little has changed.

"Talk about Washington's slow response isn't enough. We have been fighting for assistance to spur the Gulf Coast's economy and get help to those in need. But too many in Washington have stood in the way. We've been fighting to make Hurricane Katrina an accountability moment that pulled back the curtain, and for the first time, showed many Americans the true face of poverty. But too many in Washington forgot that reality once the cameras went away and the focus drifted.

"We've got the money and the brains and the heart in our country to get the Gulf Coast back on its feet. We just haven't had the leadership in our nation's capitol. No more photo ops and empty promises. No more excuses for blocking real solutions. It's long past time for action."