Press release: “Archivist of the United States Allen Weinstein announced today several initiatives to aid in the recovery of original records in the states of Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana that have been affected by Hurricane Katrina…[he stated] the potential loss of information that directly affects the lives of people in these states is staggering. The loss of our collective memory of this region, ‘identity loss’ in other words, is at stake. Property deeds; birth certificates; personal papers; information documenting the rights and entitlements of citizens, such as social security and veterans benefits, are all at risk. Records found in Federal, state, local and cultural sites must be rescued.”