Kansas Democrats are joining together to support neighbors from the Gulf Coast devastated by Hurricane Katrina. GOVERNOR KATHLEEN SEBELIUS (DEMOCRAT) led efforts that include sending 230 Kansas National Guard members to participate in relief and recovery operations, proclaiming September 4 an Official Day of Prayer, Compassion and Hope for the disaster victims and encouraging state employees to participate in a number of Red Cross blood drives organized across the state.

CONGRESSMAN DENNIS MOORE (DEMOCRAT, 2ND DISTRICT) recently returned from a trip surveying hurricane damage in Louisiana.

"The destruction I witnessed and the tremendous needs of our victims convinced me of the need for the federal government to change how it deals with natural disasters," Congressman Moore said.

Moore will take his experiences to Congress and push for improvements including the Emergency Management Improvement Act, which would make FEMA its own independent agency that would be better equipped to respond to natural disasters, and a plan to keep open several military bases slated for closure so that they could be used as emergency housing in future natural disasters or terrorist attacks.

In addition, county parties across the state are organizing blood drives and fundraisers and are gathering supplies for the hurricane relief effort. Over 800 hurricane evacuees have already joined Kansas communities across the state.