NYT/AP: Senate and House committees, chaired by Democrats, planning Katrina oversight

[DeepModem Mom]

Panels Planning Katrina Oversight
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: December 25, 2006

Democrats in Congress next year are pledging closer oversight of how $88 billion in federal aid for Hurricane Katrina is being spent. Some of the committee reviews planned and the incoming chairpersons:

SENATE

-- Appropriations: Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., has sent a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff asking him to speed up recommendations to revamp the Federal Emergency Management Agency; Byrd also described as ''shameful'' the department's slow distribution of money to state and local emergency workers.

-- Homeland Security: Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn., has said he will continue the committee's work in examining FEMA's disaster aid program as well as purchases made by federal employees with government-issued credit cards.

-- Small Business: John Kerry, D-Mass., is calling for hearings on the Small Business Administration's disaster loan program, saying only about one-fifth of the $10 billion in loans had reached affected areas; wants ''aggressive contracting oversight'' of work slated for small firms.

HOUSE

-- Financial Services: Maxine Waters, D-Calif., who chairs a subcommittee, intends to call hearings on the housing aid backlog by FEMA and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Barney Frank, D-Mass., is the committee's chairman....

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/business/AP-Katrina-Committee-Glance.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

[CountAllVotes]

1. Each and every one of them needs to see the film

IRAQ FOR SALE

Explains it all quite clearly (thank you not KBR!). :grr: :mad: :grr:

:kick:

[MadMaddie]

2. 2007 is looking like it's going to be an interesting year...

[wryter2000]

3. Yup

I can't wait. :popcorn:

[w4rma]

4. Interesting that Lieberman is the only one listed that isn't investigating something big. (nt)

[Usrename]

5. He already whitewashed the horror of the Katrina aftermath.

Remember his investigations into the FEMA response with Sen. Susan Collins (R - Maine)?

>

September 2, 2005
WASHINGTON- Senators Susan Collins and Joseph Lieberman, Chairman and Ranking Member, respectively, of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, announced today that their Committee will conduct an oversight investigation of the preparation for, and response to Hurricane Katrina.

>
http://lieberman.senate.gov/newsroom/release.cfm?id=245208

http://lieberman.senate.gov/newsroom/release.cfm?id=258039