OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Military Construction And Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act, 2009

Floor Speech

Date: July 31, 2009
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Military Personnel Veterans

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Mr. TAYLOR. Mr. Chairman, in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the Congress of the United States showed incredible generosity to the people of south Mississippi. One of those acts of generosity was the transfer of approximately 100 acres of very valuable waterfront property along Highway 90 in Gulfport, Mississippi, that had, and is still owned by the Veterans Administration to the City of Gulfport. We are very grateful for that. It had been my desire that that remain a veterans hospital, but because of the decision by the CARES Commission, the initial plan was for the Nation to sell that property and plow the proceeds of that sale into other Veterans Administration facilities in south Mississippi for upgrades.

In the aftermath of the storm, our very capable Senators drafted some legislation that allowed the city of Gulfport to receive this property free from our Nation. And again we are grateful for that.

What I regret is that there were no safeguards to ensure that this transfer, that this property continues to serve a public purpose. And this piece of property has been a public asset for over 80 years. For 80 years veterans with psychological, traumatic mental illnesses have been treated there. And I think it would serve our Nation well to delay this process, go to conference and make sure that there are adequate safeguards so that the funds received from the lease of this property, any future use of this property, serves a public purpose.

And so I have brought this to the attention of Mr. Filner. I brought this to the attention of Mr. Edwards.

I would hope that, given, again, we respect the fact that Congress acted very quickly in the aftermath of Katrina to do something to help the people of south Mississippi in their efforts to act quickly. I regret that I don't think there were adequate safeguards to protect the public. This is an effort to slow this down just long enough to put those safeguards in there. I believe I have the support of Chairman Filner. I would hope I have the support of Chairman Edwards. I would hope Ranking Member Wamp would agree to this.

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