Hurricane Gustav: Rock Bottom is a Good Foundation for Rebuilding
September2, 2008

The federal government’s efforts to respond to a natural disaster, like Hurricane Gustav, have vastly improved. The entire emergency management system has come a long way from the time, three years ago, when all Americans cringed at the government’s ineptitude dealing with Hurricane Katrina. Painful lessons have been learned, and Americans can see that the federal government can respond to an emergency with more competence and determined leadership.

Three years ago the federal response hit rock bottom, when it took days to direct federal leadership attention to the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina. J.K. Rowling, in an address at Harvard’s Commencement, said that often “rock bottom is a solid foundation” on which to rebuild. Clearly, this has been the case regarding the U.S. government’s preparation for Hurricane Gustav. This time, FEMA Director, Dave Paulison (who quite commendably has remained at his post as FEMA Administrator ) was ready, on-site, and leading a team of first responders, pre-positioned and prepared for disaster. Other federal agencies have also learned and improved their efforts to respond. It has been particularly gratifying to see GSA’s new Office of Emergency Response and Recovery step up and provide needed procurement support.

Having survived a hurricane by riding it out on the top of my roof in New Orleans as a young girl, I knew the importance of having a dedicated office, that was well prepared, superbly led, staffed with fiercely committed people, ready to move at a moment’s notice. During Hurricane Gustav, the wisdom of creating that new office has been clearly evident. While the federal government, and particularly FEMA, can take great pride in their response to Gustav, there is danger in resting on hard earned laurels since there is still difficult work left undone.

One, glaring deficiency remains to full recovery of the post-Katrina, Gulf Coast region. Despite all the federal, state and local activity, the vitality of the local, small business community has yet to be restored. The region’s economy has a long way to go to reach its pre-Katrina status. And, contrary to the current, DC-centric, ”feel good” approach, housing and food subsidies won’t do it.

A revitalized local business community is important because those businesses, both large and small, are the ones that do most of the hiring and the tax-paying that keeps the economy vital. With a robust business community come the employees who then contribute to the economy, employees who buy houses and rent apartments. And, with those employees come families that create the communities and the children that revitalize the education system.

The local business community is the engine of growth and an important ingredient in this rebuilding cycle. They have also, for the most part, been overlooked and, therefore, the Gulf region has never fully recovered from Katrina.

One of the most important tools that the federal government has available to help local businesses in the Gulf is to direct more of the contracts for recovery and clean up to local small businesses. Too often, contracts are awarded to large companies based in, or near, DC.
I took a look at this problem, when I was Administrator of GSA, and issued an executive order that required GSA Contracting Officers to award all contracts for the Gulf Coast Region to local businesses, but in particular, local, small businesses. This Order was misunderstood and mis-characterized by many, both on the Hill and in the media, but the reason behind my idea was simple, and remains relevant.
Implementing the Stafford Act is the law, but, too often, contracting officers are raked over the “administrivia” coals in implementing the federally mandated preference process, so I was trying to provide as much “cover” as possible. Removing bureaucratic impediments to help contracting officers make more awards to local small businesses was a good, first step.

A revitalized and robust, local, small business community remains the missing ingredient in the post-Katrina rebuilding process, and until that occurs, the federal government will not have completed its work, and that painful chapter in the book of Katrina-related fiascos cannot be closed.

The solution is easy. No new laws are needed, only the will and the vision to implement the ones that already exist. The Federal government has, within its power, the ability to help in a way that is meaningful and sustaining. But, doing so requires our government to look beyond an easily visible, headline-grabbing, “band-aid” approach to problem solving and to, instead, implement a long-term, forward looking , greater-good approach that won’t necessarily garner media headlines.

There has been little evidence in the past to show that our government is capable of this kind of longsighted strategy, but I believe that one person can make a difference and, as a former inhabitant of the 9th ward in New Orleans, and as an American taxpayer, I certainly hope that someone in government is willing to take up where I left off and provide opportunities for the success of the Gulf Coast Region’s business communities.