On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina made landfall on our Gulf Coast, unleashing a 30-foot storm surge and winds topping 100 miles per hour. The entire state felt the storm’s brutal wrath, which tragically took the lives of 238 Mississippians.

Many communities along the Gulf Coast will soon hold remembrance ceremonies and homecoming events to mark the hurricane’s 10th anniversary. I look forward to participating in what is sure to be an inspiring and moving weekend. Although memories of Katrina are still painful, the incredible progress we have made over the past decade is a testament to Mississippians’ enduring resilience and strength.

Working Together to Deliver Assistance

I saw this strength in the days that followed the storm, when traveling with my wife, Gayle, from Tupelo to the Coast. Our first stop was at Agricola Baptist Church in George County to unload an eighteen-wheeler full of supplies donated by North Mississippians. The church played a vital role in seeing that these donations made it to the hardest-hit areas.

In Congress, I worked with the rest of our state’s delegation to ensure that Mississippians received the assistance they needed. Our outstanding state and local leaders have helped drive the recovery process in constructive ways, working diligently to get people back into their homes, rebuild public infrastructure, and bring back jobs. Important reforms to the federal government’s response in times of crisis have accompanied this relief.

Championing Accountability, Transparency

Mississippi’s recovery efforts should be commended. We have been successful in keeping the confirmed fraud rate under one percent, and our accountability and transparency measures have earned the praise of the Government Accountability Office. Almost all federal block grants have been designated to projects and more than 90 percent of these funds have been delivered.

Katrina taught us many lessons, including the difficulty in resolving wind-versus-water insurance claims on total-loss properties. The COASTAL Act, which I authored, became law in 2012, providing an important tool to begin settling these disputes and expediting claims by using scientific data and observations to determine what caused a home’s destruction. Property owners should be made whole without delays in the insurance process.

Rising to the Challenges Ahead

Although there is much work left to do, the future of the Coast is bright, thanks in large part to the many Mississippians who have chosen to stay and rebuild their lives despite incredible loss. The road to recovery has not been easy, with setbacks like the BP oil spill hurting an already fragile local economy.

Despite difficult times, numerous success stories demonstrate that the Gulf Coast can rise to the challenge. The new Biloxi Visitors’ Center, for example, is an impressive public space that honors both the past and future, incorporating cutting-edge technology alongside artifacts from the Dantzler House that used to occupy the site. In Bay St. Louis, a new seawall, bridge, and harbor are helping draw residential and commercial investment. In Pascagoula, Mississippi Emergency Management Agency cottages used for temporary housing after Katrina are now home to small business incubators.

Katrina was not the first devastating hurricane to hit the Coast, and she is not likely to be the last. We have learned a great deal from the past decade, and we remain committed to moving forward toward a full recovery. Everyone benefits when the Gulf Coast succeeds.