Fleming Says President's Speech Still Falls Short of Mark

Rep. Fleming praises President Bush on an uplifting speech, but believes the President fails to provide real opportunities to minority-owned businesses and providing affordable housing.

CLINTON,MS (PRWEB) September 17, 2005 -- State Representative Erik R. Fleming, D-Clinton, an announced Democratic candidate for the US Senate in 2006, offered a response today to President Bush's address to the nation Thursday night.

Fleming said: "While I commend the President for giving an uplifting and visionary speech last night to the nation, it still falls short in terms of a comprehensive vision to improve the opportunities for those affected by Hurricane Katrina.

"It is noble to say that you want to give minority businesses opportunities to grow during this period, but when the federal government has already awarded millions of dollars to companies, in a no-bid process, it dampens the enthusiasm of those minority-owned businesses that could have competed for those dollars. A true commitment to entrepreneurship would open the process to all who seek to help rebuild New Orleans and Mississippi's Gulf Coast.

"In addition, to rescind the Davis-Bacon Act during this time, which provides prevailing wages to those employees working under federal contracts, undermines the intention of the President's speech, which expressed a duty to confront poverty with bold action.

"Finally, the President unveiled a homestead program which would allow the people affected by the hurricane to acquire property to build homes and to start anew. While that sounds promising, the caveat is that it is limited to land owned by the federal government. How much land did the federal government own in New Orleans or on the Mississippi Gulf Coast? This is the devil in the details that those of us in public service
committed to revitalizing these devastated communities are concerned about.

"It is my hope that, as this massive rebuilding effort takes shape, these issues brought forth will be adequately addressed."

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