Congressman Al Green Returns to Houston, Aids Preparation Efforts

(Washington, DC)--Today, Congressman Al Green, who represents Texas' Ninth Congressional District, issued the following statement regarding Hurricane Rita as it prepares to hit the coastline of Texas:

"I would like to first applaud Mayor White and the City Council, along with Judge Robert Eckles and the Commissioners' Court, for their expeditious response to this impending hurricane.  I would also like to urge those residents of our great city of Houston to seek a safe haven as quickly as possible.  We cannot and must not allow a repeat of Hurricane Katrina.  It is imperative that we allow our public safety officials to do their jobs in an efficient manner with the least amount of interference."

After casting his last Congressional vote for the week in Washington, DC, on Thursday, Congressman Al Green returned to Houston to assist with disaster-relief efforts.

"I believe that the priority of every government should be the welfare of their citizens, and I want my constituents to know that I am here for them and will do everything in my power to ensure that all the necessary resources are available to them," Congressman Al Green said.

Finally, earlier this week, Congressman Al Green joined his colleagues in sending a letter to President Bush urging him to immediately declare a Federal Emergency in the State of Texas.