William Jefferson Quotations

I have said $225 billion, ... These are not unrealistic numbers.

As Hurricane Wilma quickly approaches American soil, I fear that our federal response to emergencies is still lacking, ... could not gather that much has changed about where FEMA stands today as it stood at the time Katrina struck.

I think it is unrealistic to appropriate $10 billion, $30 billion at a time, ... It's important to talk about the big number up front.

If these people hadn't been poor and black, they wouldn't have been left in New Orleans in the first place.

I've just announced at a press conference that we're probably going to lose all services over night: sewage, drainage, water, etc., ... I cannot issue a mandatory. I do not have the resources to enforce it. However, I've just made the strongest message possible, and we will have police vehicles and fire vehicles going throughout Jefferson Parish with broadcasting advising people to leave now.

The spirit comes from football. If they won't come back for anything else, (the alumni) show up for football games.

This year we were $50 million short of what we thought we needed for hurricane protection,

I tell folks all the time, I'm glad I was able to start out my life like that, but I'm also glad it's over,

The most important thing he said tonight was addressing poverty in the region, ... We have to do our best to attack it.

These monies are used for food, diapers, medicines, and other essential items. For FEMA to cut off these funds now is unacceptable,