John Boehner, September 9, 2005

In the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, many focused on what the government didn’t do or should have done. There is a lesson we can take away from that: government can not solve every problem.

In fact, it’s the remarkable response from individual Americans and businessmen that’s made the difference in Louisiana and Mississippi.

Many businesses have helped equip emergency personnel. Pfizer is distributing medicines. Black & Decker employees ramped up production of generators. Some local companies have offered their employees places to stay, replacement jobs elsewhere in the country, and an uninterrupted paycheck. Financial institutions are even offering affected customers deferred payments on car loans and mortgages.

While the Port of New Orleans, major highways, and stretches of railroad in and around the Gulf Coast remain closed, many businesses have worked their way around the problems and managed to get much-needed supplies into affected areas. FedEx and other delivery companies moved over 100 tons of relief supplies into areas many bureaucrats thought unreachable.

The story is the same across the country: ordinary Americans pitching in and lending whatever talents or resources they have to the relief effort. Local families and churches have opened their doors to evacuees. Private donations to organizations like the American Red Cross have already topped $300 million, and the number continues to climb.

This is not to say government doesn’t have a role to play -- it does. But it’s generally agreed that no level of government -- local, state, or federal -- played that role well enough initially. When bureaucrats can keep the Red Cross and Salvation Army from entering a disaster area quickly (as they did in New Orleans), you know something isn’t right.

When the Hyatt Company successfully delivered food and supplies to its New Orleans hotel despite claims by local and federal officials that it was inaccessible, you know something isn’t right.

And when dozens of city buses sit unused while citizens are herded into a sports facility with no security, and little food or water, you know something isn’t right.

In response to the real (and perceived) problems with the rescue and relief efforts, both the House and Senate plan to hold hearings concerning FEMA’s management of the crisis to date. And a bicameral, bipartisan committee has been established to review what went right and what went wrong at all levels of government. Their findings will be reported no later than February 15th next year.

Until then, our focus should be on how we can help people rebuild their lives. For our part, Congress has approved two major relief packages that will provide the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) more money for relief efforts.

We’ve also passed common-sense bills like the TANF Emergency Response & Recovery Act, which adds additional funds and flexibility to the federal Temporary Aid to Needy Families (TANF) grant program. And the Pell Grant Hurricane and Disaster Relief Act and the Student Grant Hurricane and Disaster Relief Act, which defer loan repayment requirements for displaced college students.

This is what we need more of: Congress will best serve the people of the Gulf Coast region by clearing away red tape, cutting taxes, and expanding opportunities for entrepreneurship.

In the end the lesson is simple: government has a role to play, but it will never be able to do it all.

It’s a lesson worth remembering.

Congressman John Boehner, a Republican, represents Ohio's Eighth Congressional District, which includes Miami, Butler, Preble, Darke, and Mercer Counties.