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