Religious leaders call for end of ‘moral scandal’ concerning lack of help reaching Gulf Coast

A coalition of religious leaders are asking politicians in this election year to address what they say is a moral scandal: Three years after Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast, much of the region is still far from recovery.

Several religious leaders — representing a coalition of more than 100 — held a teleconference Sept. 15 to urge passage of the Gulf Coast Civic Works Act (H.R. 4048). The Gulf Coast Civic Works Campaign is a nonpartisan group of community, faith, student, labor and human-rights organizations.

At the same time, faith leaders sent a letter to the major-party presidential nominees — Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain — and to members of Congress to urge their support of the recovery plan.

Co-sponsored by Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), Rep. Charlie Melancon (D-La.) and Rep. Gene Taylor (D-Miss.), the bill seeks to establish the Gulf Coast Recovery Authority to implement and oversee a massive job-training and reconstruction project. Twenty additional representatives have since signed on as co-sponsors, including Rep. Rodney Alexander (R-La.).

Proponents tout the measure as a means to provide job training-opportunities and increase employment while speeding recovery in parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas and Alabama devastated by hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005. Damage caused by hurricanes Gustav and Ike this season has compounded the problem, they said.

The recovery program would train displaced workers to rebuild destroyed infrastructure and restore the environment, they added.

Former New Orleans pastor Frederick Haynes, who now serves as pastor of Friendship-West Baptist Church in Dallas, said religious leaders “must lend our voices” to influence both presidential campaigns.

Christian leaders who have endorsed the recovery campaign include Rich Cizik, vice president of the National Association of Evangelicals; Richard Stearns, president of World Vision; Michael Kinnamon, president of the National Council of Churches; David Beckmann, president of Bread for the World; and Jim Wallis, founder of Sojourners. (ABP)