The magnitude of the appalling catastrophe which Hurricane Katrina has wrought upon America's Gulf Coast, and the shamefully inexcusable vacuum of Presidential leadership in Katrina's wake, in my opinion, sends a clarion call for the urgent re-convening of Congress in order for the U.S. people to be able to address the situation, which continues to deteriorate daily. The flooding of New Orleans, the absolute destruction of Biloxi and Gulfport, the refugees, the still-trapped victims, the unknown amount of dead, the gas lines, the looting, the breakdown in law and order, the as-yet-to-be-attempted jerry-rigging of the levies, the urgent need for basic supplies and medical care for thousands and thousands of U.S. citizens, schooling for the children, dialysis machines, evacuations - all of this literally screams for national leadership!
Democratic House Leader Nancy Pelosi has now called for such a Special Session to address Katrina. I think we should strongly support her. My ideas for the public policy issues to be addressed are included after the break.
First, there should be a special supplemental appropriations bill to: (1) provide an immediate fund for the ongoing and continuous rescue efforts; (2) provide necessary financing for the inevitable reconstruction of all areas affected; (3) provide the necessary funding for a long-range program to study, set professional standards and then construct appropriate flood and hurricane protection, including levees, seawalls, and other permanent structures on America's important rivers, lakes, harbors and seacoasts. A historical model for this national effort could be the 1934 Flood Control Act and its progeny. Financing is negotiable but my idea would be to cancel all planned reductions in the Federal Estate Tax through FY 2012.
Second, the revelations concerning inadequate planning and who should be accountable for this disaster ought to be addressed by a full-scale Congressional investigation, including hearings and, possibly, a 9/11 style independent Commission. The investigation should be on the public record - we both need and have a right to know why warnings were ignored, why there was no adequate plan for anything, why the oil industry was unprepared and what can be done about the widespread ramifications, what the actual state of readiness of domestic National Guard and other response agencies was and is, and, of course, what is going on at FEMA and the plan to de-emphasize its long-term planning role.
Obviously, there are other things that can be done - all ideas and suggestions are welcome! - but I think appropriations, financing and oversight are the main things for Congress to focus on.
Who knows how it would play politically? Potentially, Congress could force/invite President Bush to address the Nation in a joint session and he, after having been pressured to finally finish his five-week vacation, could make a good speech and actually address the problem, thus benefitting him politically. But my point, and I think Pelosi's point, is that the problem has to be faced. Urgent help is needed; accountability for past failures must be determined; long-term planning for the future, which otherwise might never be done, needs considered attention.
To rely on private contributions and existing (and seemingly inadequate) FEMA bureaucracy, to me, seems to be an inadequate response. I urge all Members of Congress to honor Pelosi's historic call to action. I also urge Kossacks to support this and communicate that support to their representatives.
Please add your ideas for what public policy issues could be addressed in the Special Session.