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Washington Digest/House creates Katrina probe Sunday, Sep 18, 2005 By Elizabeth Piet Stephens Washington Bureau WASHINGTON -- The House voted last week to create a special committee to investigate the government's response to Hurricane Katrina, as lawmakers fought over whether an independent probe might be needed. Lawmakers voted 224-188 for the congressional probe. All but one Republican, plus seven Democrats, voted to establish the committee. Other Democrats voted against the plan, saying they wanted an independent panel to be formed. Republicans said fast action was necessary while Democrats noted the investigation would be controlled by the GOP which would be unable to critically examine the Bush administration's performance. Rep. John Boozman, R-Rogers, voted for the congressional probe. Reps. Vic Snyder, D-Little Rock, Mike Ross, D-Prescott, and Marion Berry, D-Gillett, voted against it. The Senate debated the same issue. Republicans rejected an amendment calling for an independent investigation. Other Democratic initiatives related to Hurricane Katrina also were defeated. Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., offered the amendment calling for the creation of an independent commission. It failed, 44-54. Clinton and her supporters said the amendment would provide for a necessary independent probe, similar to the commission formed after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. But opponents said the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs has already begun work. "A new committee could take months to be organized and set up," said Sen. Lincoln Chafee, R-R.I. "The American people should not have to wait to have accountability." Sens. Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor, both D-Ark., voted for the independent commission. Among other Democratic amendments, Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del., proposed $1 billion in additional emergency Hurricane Katrina relief, including $700 million for local governments to hire more police officers and $300 million for communications equipment. Biden said more police are needed in communities now, while opponents said emergency funds should go directly to the immediate response effort, not long-term programs. Biden's amendment failed, 41-56. Lincoln and Pryor voted for the emergency relief. Another amendment, introduced by Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., failed 40-58. It would have allocated $5 billion over three years to upgrade first responder communications equipment. Stabenow said Hurricane Katrina exposed the inability of regional and national rescue operations to communicate reliably. Opponents said $2 billion has already been allocated and Stabenow's proposal was too expensive. Lincoln and Pryor voted for the amendment. Contract Probe Rejected An amendment to create a special Senate committee to investigate defense contracts in Afghanistan and Iraq failed, 44-53. Sponsoring Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., said fraud and waste occurs when companies receive large, no-bid contracts with little oversight. Opponents said the amendment had no place on the appropriations bill that was being considered. Lincoln and Pryor voted for the investigative committee. Mercury regulations defended The Senate voted to support an Environmental Protection Agency rule that gives utilities flexibility in reducing smokestack emissions. The vote was 51-47. Senators who voted to overturn the rule said the EPA's clean air plan favors big business and would result in women and children being exposed to larger amounts of toxic mercury. EPA defenders disputed the characterization. They said the regulation would reduce mercury levels in the atmosphere faster and more economically. Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., said rejecting the EPA effort would result in shutdowns of power plants that use coal. "You would have to replace them with natural gas," Inhofe said. "That natural gas has already gone up in price." Pryor voted to keep the rule in place. Lincoln voted against it. House expands hate crime law An amendment expanding hate crime law to include sexual orientation, disability or gender identity passed in the House, 223-199. Current law allows the government to prosecute hate crimes based on a victim's religion, race or ethnicity. The amendment was placed in a bill that aimed to tighten laws against sexual predators. Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., who introduced the amendment, said children are among the victims of crimes based on their sexual orientation or disabilities, and the problem warrants a strong federal response. Opponents complained the amendment makes a major change to federal criminal law without sufficient review by Congress. Ross and Snyder voted for the amendment. Berry and Boozman voted against it. Mandatory minimal penalties defended House members struck down a separate amendment that would have eliminated mandatory minimum sentencing for sex offenders who fail to register on a national Web site when they relocate. Rep. Bob Inglis, R-S.C., said judges should have the flexibility to determine sentencing, especially in the cases of accidental violations. Critics, however, said the mandatory minimum penalties are critical to ensuring sex offenders register each time they move. The amendment was defeated, 106- 316. Snyder voted for the amendment. Ross, Berry, and Boozman voted against it. -30- |
