NETWORK offers Congress advice in Katrina aftermath

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October 2005

NETWORK offers Congress advice in Katrina aftermath
USCCB supports McCain amendment on treatment of 'enemy combatants'

NETWORK offers Congress advice in Katrina aftermath
NETWORK, a Washington-based Catholic lobby working on a gamut of legislative issues of importance to Catholics, had this advice for members of Congress as they consider how best to respond to the Katrina debacle:

Approximately $44 billion of the money allocated for Katrina relief has yet to be committed. In the next hours, days and weeks, funding decisions will say much about how intent we are to live up to our founding principles and ideals. During this crucial time, and as you consider other pertinent legislation, we ask you to:

Reflect: It is important to take a breath. Recognize the critical nature of this moment in our history. We must ask ourselves, what have we learned from Katrina? The “invisible” has become visible, the unseen has become obvious. Our nation and our world have witnessed systemic problems that go far beyond the immediate flood aftermath. How should we confront the racism, poverty, and other forms of injustice that contributed to the tragedy?

Re-Envision: Even as monetary aid rushes to the people who need it most, we must consider the long term implications of our efforts. Short-term fixes for working families, displaced students, immigrants and others are very necessary but are not adequate long term solutions. We must make sure the affected people of the Gulf region are the decision-makers in this process and that they are also the beneficiaries. Local contractors should get preference and jobs should go to local workers first.

We must also respect the interdependence of humans with our natural environment rather than try to dominate our surroundings. Rebuilding must take into account the uncontrollable forces of nature.

Reinvent: We have the opportunity to rebuild an entire region of our beloved nation. How can we engage the affected people of the Gulf, the leaders of our nation and the support of all citizens in a shared responsibility for our future? How will the time, money and energy poured into the rebuilding of the Gulf act as an investment toward the greater common good? Will this government be “business as usual” or will we utilize this opportunity to create real progress? The Independent Ethical Commission as proposed by Interfaith Worker Justice is one good tool to evaluate this process.

Resurrect: Engage the moral perspective. Lead the moral discussion. We cannot simply resuscitate cities like New Orleans, Port Arthur, and Biloxi; returning things to the way they were before. Impoverished neighborhoods at risk of future flooding must be addressed. We must bring the affected region, and our entire nation, to a new and more just way of practicing community.

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