House panel fed up with feds: In a scenario eerily reminiscent of the 9/11 Commission’s difficulty in piercing the administration’s cone of silence, a House panel investigating the government response to Hurricane Katrina may have to resort to subpoenas to shake loose neceaasry info.
According to GovExec.com, House lawmakers investigating the Bush administration’s response to Hurricane Katrina threatened Wednesday to subpoena the White House and key federal agencies for documents, saying a lack of information is hindering their already time-constrained investigation.
Lawmakers on a special House committee examining the events leading up to and following the hurricane said they have yet to receive key documents and e-mails from the administration. Chairman Rep. Tom Davis, R-Va, said the committee will use “whatever means possible” to get the documents.
“If we don’t get them, I’m not hesitant to issue subpoenas,” Davis said. “There are simply too many gaps in the picture we have at this point that we can’t draw complete conclusions.”
“We’re not going to be stonewalled here,” Davis added.
The commission investigating the 9/11 terrorist attacks had similar complaints about the administration’s failure to supply requested documents. The commission finally had to issue three subpoenas to the Federal Aviation Administration, the North American Aerospace Defense Command and the city of New York.
The House committee is scheduled to complete its work and issue a report on its findings and recommendations by mid-February.
The committee has yet to receive requested e-mail exchanges and communications involving White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, Army Corps of Engineers Commander Lt. Gen. Carl Strock and Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt, said Rep. Charles Melancon, D-La.
“The continued failure of administration officials to comply with these requests will impede congressional oversight of the federal response to Hurricane Katrina,” Melancon said. “The credibility and thoroughness of the congressional investigation into the response . . . will hinge on access to key documents and communications.”
Melancon technically does not serve on the committee because Democrats have refused to appoint members, saying that an independent commission is needed. Melancon and a few other Democrats, however, have been voluntary participants.
Rep. Steve Buyer, R-Ind., noted that the committee also has yet to receive requested communications from the governors of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.
The committee originally requested all documents by Oct. 14, but Davis extended that deadline to Oct. 27. Davis said he expects to receive “a substantial production” of documents from the White House today.
