May 02, 2006 Contact: Leslie Phillips (202) 224-2627 HURRICANE KATRINA REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS PASS HOMELAND SECURITY AND GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE   The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee today overwhelmingly passed Committee Chairman Susan Collins and Ranking Member Joe Lieberman’s Hurricane Katrina report and recommendations entitled Hurricane Katrina: A Nation Still Unprepared. This 737-page bipartisan report details specific findings on the mistakes made throughout the course of Hurricane Katrina, and offers systemic and structural changes to ensure that these failures are not repeated. The most significant change calls for dissolving FEMA and replacing it with the National Preparedness and Response Authority, a distinct entity within the Department of Homeland Security, with a broader mandate, greater resources, more qualified leadership, and greater access to the White House than FEMA, to better prepare for and respond to national catastrophes. The report now awaits consideration by the full Senate. Over the last eight months, the Committee has conducted formal interviews of more than 325 witnesses, reviewed over 838,000 pages of documentation, and held 22 public hearings with 85 additional witnesses to arrive at these specific recommendations. The full report is available online at http://www.hsgac.senate.gov/ and a three-page fact sheet is attached to this release. "Our Hurricane Katrina investigation into the widespread failures of planning, response, judgment, and leadership in our national response was a huge effort, and its findings and recommendations cover a vast range of issues. The brutal truth driven home by this report is that our nation remains acutely unprepared to plan for, mitigate, respond to, and recover from disasters,” said Senator Collins. “Throughout our investigation it became clear that the problems at FEMA go far beyond matters of leadership, judgment, and equipment. FEMA lacks the stature, the internal resources, the connections with state and local officials and responders, and the lines of communication with the White House that are essential for the federal government to play its proper role in responding to a catastrophe.” “The lack of preparation and the failed response at all levels of government to Hurricane Katrina constitute a gross dereliction of duty on the part of nearly all the agencies involved and on the part of all those who were in a position to lead,” said Senator Lieberman. “These failures cost lives and compounded the anguish of Katrina's survivors. We have produced a comprehensive and fact-laden report that presents hard-hitting findings and constructive and progressive recommendations. This report should serve as a primer for those at every level of government whose responsibility it is to react and respond to a catastrophe."   ###   Printable Version   « previous Press Release next Press Release »   1998 - 1999 - 2000 - 2001 - 2002 - 2003 - 2004 - 2005 May 2006 Press Releases   May 31 - Lieberman Assails Homeland Security Grant Distribution   May 25 - Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Approves Nominees R. David Paulison and Lurita Alexis Doan   May 25 - Lieberman Warns of Active Hurricane Season in Northeast   May 25 - Lieberman Demands Answers about Information Theft   May 25 - Lieberman Calls for Second Extension of Unemplyoment Benefits for 2005 Hurricane Victims   May 25 - Homeland Security Committee to Vote on Nomination of R. David Paulison to Head FEMA   May 24 - Lieberman Celebrates Connecticut Hero at Stamp Unveiling   May 24 - Lieberman Demands Answers in Joint Hearing on Stolen Vet Data   May 24 - Lieberman Says FEMA Recovery is Fraught with Problems   May 23 - Senator Lieberman's Statement on the Nomination of Lurita Alexis Doan for Administrator of the General Services Administration   May 23 - Lieberman Comments on Security Breach Against Veterans   May 17 - Senator Lieberman Delivers Statement at Robert Portman's Confirmation Hearing   May 17 - Lieberman Challenges OMB Nominee on Administration’s Fiscal Irresponsibility   May 11 - Senate and House Homeland Security Committees Stress Importance of Keeping FEMA Capabilities Within DHS   May 9 - Lieberman Seeks Probe Into HUD Secretary's Cancellation of Contract to Man Who Disliked Bush   May 9 - Senators Collins, Lieberman Say Emergency Response Must Be Part of DHS   May 8 - Lieberman Presses Norquist on Halliburton Redactions to DOD Audit of Iraqi Contracts   May 3 - Lieberman Calls House Bill Unworthy of Name "Reform"   May 2 current Press Release   May 2 - Port Security Legislation Authored by Senators Collins, Murray and Lieberman Passes Homeland Security Committee   May 2 - Committee Responds to Senator Clinton's Request that FEMA Be Returned to an Independent Agency
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs 340 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510