Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco asked lawmakers for help in rebuilding the state devastated by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Speaking before the Senate Finance Committee, Blanco was quoted in reports as saying that the storms "knocked us down but they did not knock us out."
She urged the committee to establish an "income tax holiday," as well as providing some $30 billion in "Hurricane Recovery Bonds," and also called for investment and tax credits to help residents rebuild.
Meanwhile, Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour requested $15 billion in reconstruction bonds, as well as calling for no capital gains with regard to the "Gulf Opportunity Zone," the rebuilding measure proffered by the White House.
