The levee system will be better and safer than it's ever been before.

The levee system will be better and stronger than it ever has been in the history of New Orleans.

I don't think we can design a system that can compete with Mother Nature. What we're saying is that we are going to do whatever is necessary to make sure we have stronger and better levee systems than we've ever had.

Hopefully that decision will be made sooner rather than later.

I think New Orleans and Louisiana need to be safe,

In short, what we seem to be seeing is a state banking system that is increasing in relative numbers and decreasing in relative size, ... Going forward, there is every indication the relative decline in the assets of state banks will continue.

I'm convinced that what we're doing here today ? if there is another Katrina that hits New Orleans that we would not see the catastrophic results that we saw during Katrina. There will be some flooding, but it will be manageable type flooding.

The federal government is committed to building the best levee system known in the world. It's a complicated issue.

They will be rebuilt stronger and better than they were before Katrina.

It's important that people feel safe and move back into the area. It's important that business create jobs in that particular area. The levee system is vital to that process.