Statement from U.S. Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker on 10th Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina

U.S Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker issued the following statement, as the Obama Administration commemorates the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, the costliest natural disaster in U.S. history. A fact sheet on the Commerce Department’s post-Katrina recovery efforts can be found here.

“Ten years after Hurricane Katrina, we remember the lives lost as a result of the storm and continue our efforts to rebuild and strengthen the communities of the Gulf region,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker. “Over the past decade, the Commerce Department has worked with our federal partners to make strategic investments in the region designed to foster economic growth and improve resilience. Today, we can celebrate great progress, including support for thriving entrepreneurial hubs; workforce development initiatives; improved weather predictions and forecasts driven by technology and data; and investments along the coast that will help make communities more resilient to the effects of extreme weather. We have also helped attract significant foreign direct investment to the Gulf that is generating economic growth and creating American jobs. The Obama Administration is committed to continued efforts that will ensure the ongoing recovery of the Gulf region as a center of vibrant economic growth and opportunity.”