Storming the Treasury

The cost of rebuilding after Katrina and Rita is in the $250 billion range. Guess where that's going.

Lobbyists are busy trying to get a piece of that pie.

• Oil compaines are seeking changes that will let them build new refineries and get tax breaks
• Airlines are using it as an excuse to dump their pension obligatons on taxpayers and drop the federal tax on jet fuel. The tax break alone would cost $600 million
• Insurance companies are using it to push a bill that would have taxpayers pick up part of their bill in the event of a terrorist attack
• Farm groups outside the disaster zone are asking for more cash
• For-profit hospitals are demanding a share of FEMA cash -- usually only spent on non-profit hospitals
• Hotel lobbyists are asking Congress for tax breaks, grants, and low interest loans
• The mortgage industry is lobbying to have every homeowner in the Gulf Coast eligible for $250,000 in flood insurance -- even if they never bought it

These requests come to several billion dollars so far. The storm is a real windfall for lobbyists. (MSNBC)