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Katrina Survivors Want Own War Funds

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The Associated Press

Published: June 9, 2008

NEW ORLEANS - A long way from Iraq and the war debate in Washington, Herman Moore sat outside a tent in a downtown New Orleans homeless camp, trying to make sense of a proposal that helps Iraqi war refugees but will likely exclude Hurricane Katrina victims.

"Messed up is not the phrase. I think you know the phrase," Moore said. "This place has been forgotten, just forgotten."

The 56-year-old lifelong city resident is referring to Congress' plan to spend $212 billion to finance the war in Iraq. In the massive spending bill, $350 million is set aside to help Iraqi refugees while just $73 million has been allotted to help shelter physically and mentally disabled Katrina victims - and that money could be cut as early as Tuesday.

Along with funding the war through the first month of the next president's term, the bill provides Jordan's military $100 million and Mexico's armed forces $50 million.

In response, lawmakers including Louisiana Sen. Mary Landrieu attached more than $30 billion for what they see as domestic priorities.

However, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi must trim the bill or face a threatened veto from President Bush. While the California Democrat supports the housing money for 3,000 rent-aid vouchers, it is part of $2.9 billion in Katrina assistance that may be cut.

A group of 49 congressional Democrats, known as the Blue Dog Coalition, support cutting the housing vouchers in an effort to tame the national debt. While declining to comment on the prospect of helping Iraqi refugees while overlooking Katrina victims, Blue Dog leader Rep. Allen Boyd wrote in an e-mail that the $9 trillion national debt includes significant amounts financed by foreign banks.

Those arguments don't mean much to Patrick Clark, 43, stocking his tent with donated food at the homeless camp Friday. He said the government was all too willing to increase the debt with war spending but is turning its back on those most in need of help after Katrina.

Katrina flooded 80 percent of New Orleans and killed 1,600 in Louisiana and Mississippi. Homelessness has become painfully visible.

"When the Katrina disaster happened we couldn't help but notice here was forced displacement in the richest country in the world," said Joel Charny, vice president for policy for Refugees International, a Washington-based humanitarian advocacy organization.

"You just don't want to be in a situation where it's either money for people who are disabled and really hurting in New Orleans, as opposed to money for people who are dislocated because of the war in Iraq," he said. "Our view, at the risk of sounding naive, is that money would be available for both."

Advocates have lobbied for the housing vouchers for years. They were cut from the 2006 war supplemental bill under similar political pressures.

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