Flood protections cut for FY2006

Earlier this year, the House of Representatives voted to slash $71.2 million in federal funding for the New Orleans district of the Army Corps of Engineers. The real effect of these cuts would be that many future flood and hurricane prevention projects wouldn't see the light of day.

I want to stress that these cuts in funding had no effect on the hurricane damage we're seeing in New Orleans today since they are part of the Fiscal Year 2006 budget. That doesn't change the fact that cuts such as these have a real effect on the lives of people.

From the June article quoting Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA):

Landrieu said the Bush administration is not making Corps of Engineers funding a priority.

"I think it’s extremely shortsighted," Landrieu said. "When the Corps of Engineers’ budget is cut, Louisiana bleeds. These projects are literally life-and-death projects to the people of south Louisiana."

Badger Blues has a related post on this subject.