The backlash to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's comments that the people of New Orleans who lived through Hurricane Katrina experienced "nothing in comparison to what happened to the people in New England" during Hurricane Sandy continue. Today, Louisiana Republican Senator David Vitter released a statement that didn't mince any words about how he feels about the majority leader's comments.

"Sadly, Harry Reid has again revealed himself to be an idiot, this time gravely insulting Gulf Coast residents," read Vitter's news release. "Katrina and Sandy were horribly destructive storms that caused real human misery. And by most any measure, Katrina was our worst natural disaster in history."

Reid said on the Senate floor Friday that "The people of New Orleans in that area, they were hurt...But nothing in comparison to what happened to the people in New England."

Reid was decrying how it took the Congress more than two months to pass a spending bill to fund Sandy relief, as opposed to ten days after Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast in 2005.  

Click here to watch Sen. Harry Reid's comments.

Below is the complete text of today's news release from Senator Vitter's office:

U.S. Senator David Vitter (R-La.) today responded to remarks made by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) on Friday. Reid said that "the people of New Orleans and that area, they were hurt – but nothing in comparison to what happened to the people in New York and New Jersey."

"Sadly, Harry Reid has again revealed himself to be an idiot, this time gravely insulting Gulf Coast residents. Both Katrina and Sandy were horribly destructive storms that caused real human misery. And by most any measure, Katrina was our worst natural disaster in history," Vitter said.

In 2005, Hurricane Katrina caused 1,833 deaths and over $108 billion in damage. Hurricane Sandy has caused 131 deaths and $65 billion in damage. These numbers are according to the National Hurricane Center.

Vitter is the ranking member of the Environment and Public Works Committee.