Congress and Katrina: A Failure of Oversight

In: State and local government review: a journal of research and viewpoints on state and local government issues, Band 39, Heft 1, S. 16-30

Abstract

Congress's role in disaster oversight and management is the subject of this case study of emergency preparation and -response to Hurricane Katrina. Examined are the implications for the National Response Plan, communications systems, military involvement, medical care and evacuation, and logistics and contracting. The findings suggest that Congress failed to make necessary permanent changes in the national emergency response system with respect to communication and coordination among federal, state, and local governments and emergency response agencies after Hurricane Andrew in 1992. The study concludes that Congress shares blame for the failed response to Hurricane Katrina and suggests that statutory changes should be made to improve the emergency response system to better cope with future large-scale disasters. Adapted from the source document.