Matsui Reiterates Need for Independent Katrina Commission
MATSUI REITERATES NEED FOR INDEPENDENT KATRINA COMMISSION
Thursday, September 15, 2005
Washington, DC - Congresswoman Doris O. Matsui (CA-5) urged Congress to create an independent commission to review our relief response efforts in the wake of the Hurricane Katrina rather than the proposed Republican-controlled committee. The Republican leadership moved forward with its plans to create a bicameral committee that would have Congress investigating itself.
"It is clear that very serious mistakes were made in the response to Hurricane Katrina. Mistakes which cost lives," stated Matsui. "The issues are too important not to have the most honest and candid assessment possible, and the American people deserve to know that the results of any investigation are free of self-interest and partisanship."
Prior to the Republican legislation coming to the floor for a debate, Democrats of the Rules Committee offered alternative legislation, which would establish an independent commission to investigate the relief response to Katrina. But the Republicans on the Rules Committee refused to even allow the amendment to be brought up for debate by the House of Representatives.
Continued Matsui, "The American people are more interested in getting answers than pointing fingers it's time for Congress - as part of the federal government and therefore an element of the relief response - to shoot straight with the American people. Our constituents demand no less and they deserve no less."
The Independent Katrina Commission bill would establish a 10 member commission to review and assess the federal government's ability to respond to large-scale natural disasters. Following the model of the 9-11 Commission, this bipartisan commission would be made up of highly-regarded, prominent individuals who would have the public's trust.
"Following the reaction to Katrina, it's become clear that our citizens' trust in government is at an all-time low. By refusing to have this tragic episode investigated by an independent, credible authority, today Congress risks further deteriorating that trust."
http://matsui.house.gov/Newsroom.asp?ARTICLE2939=4426