Delta Grassroots Caucus Events

Credit Michael Hibblen/ KUAR News, Arkansas Public Radio; Former President Bill Clinton speaking to the Delta Grassroots Caucus on May 2, 2013, at the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service, Little Rock

U. S. Senator John Boozman, Arkansas, at a Delta Grassroots Caucus meeting at the US Capitol

Brad Cole, Executive Director of the Municipal League of Illinois; previously a senior aide to former Republican US Sen. Mark Kirk of Illinois, earlier Mayor of Carbondale, Illinois, veteran Delta regional advocate, speaking at the Delta regional conference in West Memphis, Arkansas on April 26, 2019.

President Bill Clinton makes a comment to Delta Caucus Director Lee Powell at a meeting in Blytheville, Arkansas (in the northeast Arkansas Delta) on Nov. 2, 2014

The Delta Caucus would like to pay tribute to the late, great U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran of Mississippi, a powerful force in the US Senate for decades and a champion for the Delta. Sen. Cochran passed away on May 30, 2019. He spoke to the Delta Caucus on many occasions over the years (he is pictured above speaking to a Caucus event on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC) and his thoughtful, courteous and bipartisan leadership will be sorely missed.

Marcie Lawson, Executive Director, Sikeston, Missouri Regional Chamber and Area Economic Development Corporation, speaking at the Delta regional conference in West Memphis, Arkansas on April 26, 2019.

Alan Gumbel, Greater Memphis Alliance for a Competitive Workforce, Memphis, Tennessee, speaking at the Delta regional conference in West Memphis, Arkansas on April 26, 2019.

Mayor Shirley Washington of Pine Bluff, AR, speaking to the Delta Caucus at the Arkansas Capitol Rotunda in 2017.

HELP SAVE THE DELTA QUEEN HISTORIC STEAMBOAT

Posted on October 26, 2007 at 12:05 PM

PLEASE SUPPORT CONGRESSIONAL EFFORTS TO SAVE THE DELTA QUEEN!

We would like to forward this message from Congressman Steve Chabot, who is working with a bipartisan group in Congress to save the Delta Queen, the great historic steamboat that travels from Ohio all the way down to New Orleans. We would like to ask all Mississippi Delta Grassroots Caucus partners to consider contacting the Congressional delegations from Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Missouri, Kentucky, and Illinois to sign on to this legislation as co-sponsors. The historic steamboat Delta Queen has brought many dollars to our towns in the Lower Mississippi Delta, and also goes up the Arkansas River and other tributaries of the Great River.

The Delta Queen brings some tourist dollars to many stops along the river, such as Helena–West Helena, Arkansas, New Madrid, Missouri, Memphis, Tennessee, Paducah, Kentucky, Vicksburg and Natchez, Mississippi, and the area around New Orleans and southern Louisiana that was devastated by Hurricane Katrina–anything that contributes to the recovery of that area is tremendously welcome. Many other towns along the Mississippi and its tributaries also benefit.

The legislation mentioned below is being introduced by Steve Chabot, (Republican of OHIO) a Member of Congress from the First District of Ohio, which demonstrates how widespread the impact of the Delta Queen is. Republicans, Democrats and Independents, people from Ohio west to Missouri and south to New Orleans are uniting in this effort.

The Delta Queen began operations as a sternwheel river steamboat in 1926 and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1989. For the last 40 years, the Delta Queen has operated under a special congressional exemption due to the boat’s wooden superstructure not meeting certain regulations under the 1966 Safety of Life at Sea Act. Congress has renewed the exemption on a number of occasions to allow the Delta Queen to continue overnight passenger cruises.

The current exemption expires in November 2008 and the Delta Queen’s future remains uncertain. Chabot’s bipartisan legislation, H.R. 3852, would extend the exemption for the Delta Queen until 2018.

Kevin Smith, long-time Delta regional leader from Helena-West Helena, Arkansas, is very knowledgeable about the economic and historical impact of the Delta Queen, and we should follow his example and the example of Rep. Chabot and many other people in working to save this great old steamboat.

Mark Twain would be proud of our efforts if we succeed.

Tourism is an important part of the initiative to generate economic development in the Mississippi Delta region. It would be very sad if the Delta Queen is lost, and this legislation merits support from everyone concerned about the development of our region. Thanks very much. Lee Powell, MDGC (202) 360-6347

ANNOUNCEMENT OF LEGISLATION TO SAVE THE DELTA QUEEN Congressman Chabot and Supporters to Announce Legislation to Save the Delta Queen! For Immediate Release, Contact: Todd Lindgren - (513) 684-2723- OCTOBER 25, 2007

CINCINNATI – Congressman Steve Chabot will be joined tomorrow by a number of local leaders, historians and supporters to formally announce the introduction of legislation to save the Delta Queen. The press conference is taking place on Friday, October 26, at 12:30 p.m. at the National Steamboat Monument (Mehring Way at Broadway, behind Great American Ball Park).

Joining Congressman Chabot at the press conference will be Cincinnati City Councilwoman Leslie Ghiz; Dan Hurley, the Assistant Vice President for History at the Cincinnati Museum Center; Catherine Mills of the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber; Mark Shallcross of the Kentucky Derby Festival; Mike Jones, Middle Rivers Chapter of the Sons &Daughters of the Pioneer Rivermen; and a number of Delta Queen supporters.

The Delta Queen began operations as a sternwheel river steamboat in 1926 and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1989. For the last 40 years, the Delta Queen has operated under a special congressional exemption due to the boat’s wooden superstructure not meeting certain regulations under the 1966 Safety of Life at Sea Act. Congress has renewed the exemption on a number of occasions to allow the Delta Queen to continue overnight passenger cruises. The current exemption expires in November 2008 and the Delta Queen’s future remains uncertain. Chabot’s bipartisan legislation, H.R. 3852, would extend the exemption for the Delta Queen until 2018.

Who: Congressman Steve Chabot, Councilwoman Leslie Ghiz, representatives from the Cincinnati Museum Center, Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber, the Kentucky Derby Festival, the Sons &Daughters of the Pioneer Rivermen, and a number of Delta Queen supporters.

What: Press conference to announce legislation to save the Delta Queen (open to the media)

Date: Friday, October 26, 2007 Time: 12:30 p.m. Location: National Steamboat Monument (Mehring Way at Broadway, behind Great American Ball Park)

Editor’s note: We understand that the Lower Mississippi Delta coalition partners will not be able to attend this event in Ohio. We just mention it to show how many Members of Congress and supporters of the Delta Queen from all of the Mississippi River and its tributaries are involved in this important legislative effort.