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Tavis: Congressman Bennie Thompson is serving his seventh term in the House, representing Mississippi's second district. He is the longest serving African American elected official in the Magnolia State. He is also the ranking Democrat on the House Homeland Security Committee, a position that has put him at odds from time to time with how FEMA is doling out federal dollars, specifically in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. He joins us tonight from Jackson, Mississippi. Congressman, nice to have you on the program.

Rep. Bennie Thompson: Thank you for having me, Tavis.

Tavis: Let me start by asking what is happening here. I raised, at the top of the program a few moments ago, some numbers. The fact that out of 140 contracts that FEMA has doled out in Louisiana, only two of them have gone to companies inside the state. We're starting to get the same kind of picture with regard to what's happening in Mississippi. How is it, I ask you, that those who are hardest hit, those who most need the work, and in some cases those who are in the best position to do the work, are not getting the work?

Thompson: Well, they have a thing called a prime vendor contract. And this is a method that FEMA has utilized historically to push contracts out early. As you know, they determine, based on capacity and a pre-bidding, which is not a contract, but it's more or less you indicating that you want to do the work if this emergency comes. Well, what generally happens is a large company will get an open-ended contract for an amount of money and then they'll go out and sub the work out.

Many times the subs are not from the area, for a smaller amount. And so consequently, when you are trying to revive an area, many of the people who have been adversely impacted don't have the opportunity to work. Not either as an employer - as a subcontractor. And what we've seen during the last eight weeks here with Katrina, is an absolute ignoring of the local capacity in Mississippi and Louisiana, so that only two of 140 contracts in Louisiana have actually gone to local people. And only 1.8% of the contracts here in Mississippi have actually gone to Mississippi people.

Tavis: I would assume then, on top of that, if you, as the President did, suspend the MBE, WBE rules, that means Minority Business Enterprise, Woman Business Enterprise. If you suspend those rules where companies have to contract with women and minority-owned firms, if you suspend the set aside program, if you suspend all those types of programs, I would think that if the area hits hardest people of color, that adds another layer of frustration on top.

Because one, not only are people in the area not getting the work, but certainly people of color, who are the most of the victims here, they certainly aren't getting the work.

Thompson: Well, absolutely. As you know, many times people of color are paycheck-to-paycheck individuals. They struggle. And so when you have something of this nature, as we have with this hurricane, those individuals are the most vulnerable. So not only do you suspend the opportunities for those individuals, you then suspend Davis-Bacon wage rates, which says that when companies come, they don't have to pay prevailing wage rates for the jobs that are available.

And so what you have is an importation of employees into the devastated area to the detriment of the local citizens. And so by suspending those regulations, the President has exacerbated the misery that occurred - with Katrina. So we now have a double whammy. We have the whammy from the hurricane, and we have the whammy from the President by doing away with all of the programs that have proven beneficial in rebuilding communities.

Tavis: Let me preface this next comment before I get to a question, because I don't want anybody to think that I'm casting aspersion on our Hispanic brothers and sisters. I admire, as we all should, the hard work that they do in this state and in states across the country. But to your point about what happens when you suspend Davis-Bacon wage rates.

There have been stories here locally in Los Angeles and in the state where I live of California, there have been stories of Spanish-speaking workers who want to work and need the work, going to New Orleans. And other stories coming out about the fact that these companies have been hiring interpreters so that they can hire these Hispanic brothers and sisters, these Latino brothers and sisters who would do the work for those reduced wages.

And so again, the jobs aren't going to the persons of color, also of color affected by it, but they're going to persons around the country who can get there, many of them Spanish-speaking, who were not necessarily affected by the devastation in the area. Now here's why I raise that. I raise that because what it does, again, is pit black against brown, those persons who are willing to do this kind of work. And I raise that because I want to know how we allowed this to happen.

How is it that the President, with all due respect, how is it that the President goes there and gives a speech in New Orleans, what the government is going to do, and then we suspend all the rules that would positively impact the folk who have been negatively impacted by the hurricane? I'm just at a loss trying to understand how this nonsense happened. How did Congress let this happen?

Thompson: Well, what they did is, every bill that was for the financial relief in the communities impacted, we had a bill where you couldn't put amendments on or you couldn't take anything out. You either had to vote for the $10 billion package, or the $52 billion package, or you were against it. So many members of Congress were faced with putting the money out where it was absolutely needed, and the Republican leadership led by the President said, "Well, here is an opportunity to do away with Davis-Bacon and some of those other programs that we have not wanted to have on the books for a long time."

Because you had to vote up or down on it, Tavis. And that's the problem, is that at this point, the President has made eight trips to Louisiana and Mississippi, but he has yet to address the problems of doing away with the programs we're talking about now. Burger King, for instance, is offering $6,000 per employee as a sign-on bonus for people to come back, and they still can't get people to come because there is no housing. All of the housing has gone to the no-bid contractors who are saying, "Well, we'll have housing by next February.'

Well, that's not going to help rebuild Louisiana if you can't bring people back and have somewhere for them to live. So we're struggling, and the President has to provide the leadership. Now, we have, in two weeks, another opportunity to vote on this. I'm requesting your audience and others that, if you think Davis-Bacon, if you think women-owned, veteran-owned businesses should be involved in this process, then you need to let your representative know.

Now FEMA came out, as you know, yesterday with a new program saying, "Well, we're going to involve minorities. We're going to involve women.' So we called and said, well, what's the timetable, what are your goals? How do you evaluate this program? 'Well, we're still working on it.' But Tavis, they've released the press release to the public, and we have all these individuals who are scurrying, trying to fit in a program that really doesn't exist.

Tavis: So you are the ranking Democrat, as I said a moment ago, on the Homeland Security Committee. FEMA reports up to the head of that department, Mr. Chertoff. It's my understanding that you recently sent him a letter expressing some concerns. What did you say to Mr. Chertoff - Secretary Chertoff and has he responded to your communiqué?

Thompson: First of all, he has not responded, but basically, we have said, Mr. Secretary, even your department recognized the fact that local businesses, minority and otherwise, have not participated. You have announced these programs, but we don't understand how you're going to implement them. Who do you contact?

What are the timetables that you have set for the department to implement this program? So basically, you are responding to the criticism, but you are not really implementing the program based on that criticism. So when we get back to Washington next week, we're going to have to expand the criticism. Because at this point, there is nothing in place to accommodate small, minority, women-owned, veteran-owned businesses beyond what's already on the books, and that's been waived, as you know.

Tavis: Let me ask you, finally, whether or not you are hopeful that progress can be made on this. I'm glad you are on the program. There have been stories written about this. So the story is starting to be told that something is awry, something is amiss, with regard to rebuilding these areas, with regard to the people who are - there and affected by it. Are you hopeful that we can get some traction on this and turn this around?

Thompson: Well, that's why all people of good will have to weigh in on this situation. In those impacted states, the only way we can really come back is to start utilizing the people who live in those areas, the businesses who function in those areas. But when I see people, Tavis, from Montana, Idaho, Maine, coming in getting work, and I see able-bodied people from this Gulf Coast region ready to work, but can't get the work. I say something is wrong with my government when they won't put people to work.

Tavis: Well, I couldn't agree more. And I'm glad to have you on the program. Glad you got a chance to make the case. Congressman, nice to have you on.

Thompson: Thank you for having me.

Tavis: Congressman Bennie Thompson, the ranking Democrat on the Homeland Security Committee out of Mississippi. Up next, Oscar-winning actress Mira Sorvino. Stay with us.