Almost two years ago, Senator Kerry also delivered a powerful speech at Brown University, in which the he likened the failures of President Bush in the preparations and aftermath of Katrina to the overall disaster that is the Bush administration.

Katrina is a symbol of all this administration does and doesn't do. Michael Brown -- or Brownie as the President so famously thanked him for doing a heck of a job - Brownie is to Katrina what Paul Bremer is to peace in Iraq; what George Tenet is to slam dunk intelligence; what Paul Wolfowitz is to parades paved with flowers in Baghdad; what Dick Cheney is to visionary energy policy; what Donald Rumsfeld is to basic war planning; what Tom Delay is to ethics; and what George Bush is to “Mission Accomplished” and “Wanted Dead or Alive.” The bottom line is simple: The "we'll do whatever it takes" administration doesn't have what it takes to get the job done.

This is the Katrina administration.

John Kerry at Brown University September 19, 2005

So, what happens the next time? Will government response to the next disaster be as shameful as its response to Katrina? Two years is too long. There's bipartisan legislation pending that will bring help and hope to American citizens hit by disasters like Katrina. In his statement, Senator Kerry speaks of the urgency of getting that legislation signed into law.

Senator Kerry's statement on the second anniversary of Katrina:

"Two years after Hurricane Katrina there is still a long way to go to get the Gulf Coast region back on its feet. Too many families and businesses are still struggling with too much red tape and an incompetent federal response that put our kids in toxic trailers and mismanaged billions of taxpayer dollars. Two years ago, Katrina pulled back a curtain and showed the world the true extent of poverty and inequality that still exists in our country. Remembering this tragedy with photo ops isn't enough. We must finally force accountability and action from the federal government that will get our families and small businesses back on track.

"When Katrina hit, there was no effective safety net to help the individuals and small businesses that were devastated by the storm. And two years later, we still lack a plan that ensures that a Katrina-like response never happens again. I've worked with Senator Mary Landrieu and others on a bipartisan basis for two years to provide the government with critical tools to respond more quickly and effectively in the case of future disasters. We passed a disaster loan reform bill in the Senate, and we need to get this legislation on the President's desk and signed into law.

"Many families and businesses owners have put themselves back on track and the Gulf Coast region is making progress because of their own hard work and determination. It's long past time that Washington gives the victims of Katrina a policy that equals their incredible perseverance and hope."