At the invitation of the United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, Shreveport Mayor Cedric B. Glover will testify Tuesday September 23, 2008, before the Ad Hoc Subcommittee on Disaster Recovery.

The hearing is entitled, “After Action: A Review of the Combined Federal, State, and Local Activities to Respond and Recover from Hurricanes Gustav and Ike” is set for 10:00 a.m. (ET) in Room SD-562 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington, DC.

The hearing will focus on the recovery efforts by FEMA and its state and local partners in the aftermath of Hurricanes Gustav and Ike. The goal of the hearing is to assess the effectiveness of the joint response and recovery due to the hurricanes, and to provide Congress a detailed understanding of the challenges, obstacles, and needs faced by cities working tirelessly to recovery from the storms.

“We hope to measure the extent of success made by the joint federal and state response and recovery from the hurricanes,” says committee Chairman Senator Mary Landrieu and Ranking Member Senator Pete Domenici. “We are interested in hearing Mayor Glover’s analysis of FEMA’s performance from the declaration through the recovery.”

During Hurricane Gustav, Shreveport, Bossier City and Northwest Louisiana housed more than 13,000 persons in formal shelters – and more than double that number in hotels, private homes and churches. Mayor Glover’s testimony will highlight areas where the City found FEMA’s performance and collaboration successful and where its efforts were weak. Mayor Glover will also petition the subcommittee to put the wheels-in-motion to provide a permanent, well-supplied shelter facility in Shreveport.

“I appreciate this opportunity to address the Senate Subcommittee,” says Mayor Glover. “But more importantly, I consider it an honor to be invited to tell the nation The Shreveport Story. A remarkable and amazing story of how our City came together in a time of critical need – during the Labor Day Weekend - and worked tirelessly, with great compassion, for as long as they were needed, to do what had to be done.”

For local media coverage the hearing will be available live via webcast at http://hsgac.senate.gov/public/.

If you’re traveling to provide coverage, the hearing is Tuesday, September 23, 2008 at 10 a.m. ET at the Dirksen Senate Office Building 562, Washington DC.