Speaking of Decaying Infrastructure and National Disasters

Bush administration backtracks on Katrina contracts.

A new congressional analysis finds that the “Bush administration has shown little progress — and in some cases backtracked — on its pledge to do a better job in awarding contracts to small, Gulf Coast businesses for Hurricane Katrina work.” Some highlights:

– Approximately “7.4 percent of Katrina contracts so far have gone to small businesses in Louisiana, down from 12.5 percent in April.”

– “Since April, only 6 percent of new GSA contracts for Katrina work _ about $61,000 out of roughly $978,000 _ went to small Louisiana businesses. At the VA, the percentage was even lower: 0.7 percent, or $25,435 out of $3.6 million.”

– “Out of the $95.6 million in total contracts that were inaccurately claimed as going to small business, more than $77 million, or 81 percent, were awards by the Defense Department.”