05-SP1660 on Sep 8, 2005

OFFICIAL CONGRESSIONAL SUMMARY: To establish a congressional commission to examine the Federal, State, and local response to the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf Region, especially in the states of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and other areas impacted in the aftermath, and make immediate corrective measures to improve such responses in the future.

EXCERPTS OF AMENDMENT:

There is established in the legislative branch the Katrina Commission:
• The Commission shall be composed of 10 members, with not more than 5 members from any one political party.
• Individuals appointed should enjoy significant depth of experience in such professions as natural disaster and emergency response experience.
• The duties of the Commission are to ascertain, evaluate, and report on the information developed by all relevant governmental agencies regarding the facts and circumstances related to

Hurricane Katrina prior to striking the United States and in the days and weeks following;

build upon concurrent and prior investigations;

planning for future cataclysmic events requiring a significant marshaling of Federal resources, mitigation, response, and recovery to avoid significant loss of life;

an analysis as to whether any decisions differed with respect to response and recovery for different communities, neighborhoods, parishes, and locations and what problems occurred as a result of a lack of a common plan, communication structure, and centralized command structure; and

make recommendations for immediate corrective measures so that future cataclysmic events are responded to adequately.

LEGISLATIVE OUTCOME:Rollcall vote #229; lost 44-54.