Washington, DC: SEIU President Andy Stern issued the following statement on the second anniversary of the storm that ravaged the Gulf Coast:

"Katrina was a catastrophe for America. A hurricane ruined a city, killed people it shouldn't have, and brought the American government to its knees. 

The U.S. government, supposedly the beacon of progress in the world, couldn't even deliver food. Its inaction was a disgrace, and it must never be tolerated again. We cannot let weather ravage lives without a national response equal to the force of a storm.

In the absence of leadership, ordinary people did everything they could to help other ordinary people. I'm proud of what workers did in the crisis - they saved lives, administered healthcare, brought supplies, and built houses. Their government should do at least that. And more. And then a lot more."

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