Davis will hold hearings after all
By Elana Schor
The House Government Reform Committee will hold a hearing next week on emergency response issues related to Hurricane Katrina, despite GOP leaders' attempts to quash committee chairman Tom Davis' (R-Va.) initial plans.
The hearing will focus on the level of preparedness of other major cities that face a high disaster risk, from either natural catastrophes such as Katrina or terrorist attack. The committee's broad view is intended to prevent the hearing from interfering with Gulf Coast relief efforts.
"Chairman Davis agrees many questions need to wait; no one wants to take people away from the massive job at hand. But he also thinks some things can and should be looked at now," said committee spokesman David Marin. "Our members want to begin doing oversight, and the public is demanding it as well."
House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (Texas) told reporters Tuesday night that no House chairman would hold committee hearings, contradicting Davis' announcement that he would hold hearings next week. House GOP leadership sought to keep public attention on the bicameral, majority-led Katrina hearings convened by Speaker Dennis Hastert and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (Tenn.), in which Democrats have declined to participate.
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