Hurricane Katrina Response

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Committee Holds Hearing on Manufacturers of FEMA’s Toxic Trailers

As part of its continuing investigation into the FEMA’s toxic trailers, the Committee held a hearing on July 9, 2008, in 2154 Rayburn House Office Building. The hearing examined the role of four manufacturers who provided trailers with dangerous levels of formaldehyde to victims of the Gulf Cost hurricanes in 2005.

Chairman Waxman Announces Second Hearing on FEMA’s Toxic Trailers

As a follow up to last year’s hearing on FEMA’s toxic trailers, Chairman Waxman announced today the Committee will hold a hearing Wednesday, July 9, regarding the elevated levels of formaldehyde in the travel trailers FEMA provided to victims of the Gulf Coast hurricanes of 2005. Chairman Waxman requested information from four manufacturers of the travel trailers with significantly higher levels of formaldehyde and has invited them to testify at the hearing.

Chairman Waxman Expands Toxic Trailers Investigation

In letters sent to FEMA Administrator R. David Paulison and three manufacturers of FEMA travel trailers, Chairman Waxman requested explanations for the high levels of formaldehyde in FEMA trailers and additional information about FEMA’s handling of the toxic trailers.

Chairman Waxman Requests Documents Regarding ATSDR’s “Health Consultation” on Formaldehyde Levels in FEMA Trailers

Chairman Waxman requested documents from the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) regarding the “health consultation” it provided to FEMA on formaldehyde levels in tested trailers. The ATSDR consultation ignored established safety recommendations for formaldehyde exposure and downplayed the health risks posed by the formaldehyde levels in the tested trailers. ATSDR recently changed course by acknowledging that the tested FEMA trailers had formaldehyde levels that can adversely affect human health.

Committee Probes FEMA's Response to Reports of Toxic Trailers

The Committee held a hearing investigating formaldehyde levels in FEMA trailers provided for victims of the Gulf Coast hurricanes and FEMA’s response to these reports. The Committee heard from current residents occupying FEMA trailers, experts who are familiar with the health impact of formaldehyde, and from FEMA Administrator Paulison.

Chairman Waxman Reiterates his Request to FEMA for Documents Relating to Toxic Formaldehyde Levels in Hurricane Victims’ Trailers

Chairman Waxman sent a letter to Administrator Paulison reiterating his two previous requests for documents relating to high levels of formaldehyde in trailers provided to Gulf Coast hurricane victims. Recent reports have indicated that some occupants continue to live in FEMA-issued trailers with formaldehyde levels above the acceptable limit for humans.

Waste, Fraud, and Abuse in Hurricane Katrina Contracts

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the Bush Administration turned to private contractors to provide relief and recovery services worth billions of dollars. At the request of Reps. Waxman, Cardoza, Obey, Tanner, Norton, and Tierney, this report identifies 19 Katrina contracts, collectively worth $8.75 billion, that have experienced significant overcharges, wasteful spending, or mismanagement.

FEMA Trailers Exhibit Unsafe Levels of Formaldehyde Gas

Reps. Waxman and Melancon request information from FEMA regarding hazardous levels of formaldehyde gas, a respiratory irritant and carcinogen, detected in FEMA-issued trailers used for housing Hurricane Katrina evacuees. Tests reveal that 94 percent of trailers tested had indoor levels of formaldehyde above EPA safety guidelines.

Katrina Contracts Rife with Waste, Fraud, and Abuse

In a memo for today’s hearing, Rep. Waxman summarizes new audits obtained by the Committee that reveal widespread waste, fraud, and mismanagement in key contracts for rebuilding the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina.

Rep. Waxman Renews Call for Congressional Action on Katrina Contracting

In a letter to Chairman Davis, Rep. Waxman asks again for oversight hearings to investigate the Administration’s failure to manage and oversee the Katrina reconstruction contracts. He also requests that the Chairman schedule hearings and markup of the Hurricane Katrina Accountability and Contracting Reform Act (H.R. 3838), which Rep. Waxman, Leader Pelosi, and other Democrats introduced six months ago.

Rep. Waxman Asks DHS for Updated Audit of Carnival Cruise Line Contract

In a letter to Homeland Security Inspector General Skinner, Rep. Waxman asks that the Department re-examine the contracts for hurricane housing on cruise ships now that the six-month contract period has concluded and all passenger and cost information known. The letter includes a preliminary staff analysis indicating that the actual costs to house individuals on the ships were much higher than initially estimated.

Rep. Waxman Asks About Jeb Bush's Role in the Award of the Carnival Cruise Lines Contract

Rep. Waxman asks Florida Governor Jeb Bush about his role in securing a $236 million contract for Carnival Cruise Lines in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. New emails show that the governor facilitated Carnival’s contact with FEMA as it negotiated this boondoggle contract.

For Years, Administration Ignored Warnings That National Disaster Medical System Was Dysfunctional

A report requested by Rep. Henry A. Waxman, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson, and Rep. Charlie Melancon finds that since 2002, the effectiveness of the National Disaster Medical System – a key component of the nation’s emergency response capacity -- has been eroded by mismanagement, bureaucratic reshuffling, and inadequate funding. As a result, when Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast, the system was unprepared, resulting in major failures in the medical response.

Essential Response Plan Not Completed Before Katrina

Rep. Waxman and Rep. Melancon ask Secretary Chertoff to explain why the “Catastrophic Incident Supplement” to the National Response Plan, which was supposed to contain detailed plans for responding to disasters, was not finalized before Hurricane Katrina.

New Information Raises More Questions about Cruise Ship Contracts

Internal financial data from Carnival Cruise Lines provides evidence that Carnival is being paid inflated amounts by the federal government for the use of three cruise ships for hurricane housing.

DHS Inspector General Finds FEMA’s Flood Map Program Is Underfunded and Inadequate

A new report from the Department of Homeland Security IG finds significant deficiencies in FEMA’s program to upgrade flood maps, including insufficient funding, poor management, and contractor failures.

HHS Press Release on Katrina Response Exaggerated and Misleading

Rep. Waxman writes to HHS Secretary Leavitt seeking clarification of a confusing and misleading HHS press release. The release suggests that HHS's provision of health and social services to Katrina survivors is good, but even the data included in the release itself suggest disappointing and inadequate Federal assistance.

Administration Reverses Government Credit Card Limit Increase

After coming under heavy criticism, the Administration reversed the dangerous increase from $15,000 to $250,000 in the per-purchase limit on government-issued credit cards. Rep. Waxman makes a statement on the change.

Months Before Katrina, DHS IG Warned Brown FEMA Responses Were Inadequate

In June 2005, the Department of Homeland Security's Inspector General warned FEMA that its systems for managing the personnel and equipment dispatched to disaster sites were inadequate. Instead of remedying the problems the report identified, FEMA director Michael Brown disputed nearly all its findings.

Rep. Waxman and Leader Pelosi Introduce Anti-Cronyism Bill (H.R. 3925)

Rep. Henry A. Waxman and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi introduce the Anti-Cronyism and Public Safety Act, H.R. 3925, which would prohibit the President from appointing unqualified individuals to critical public safety positions in the government.

Homeland Security Department Asked for Details of Katrina Cruise Ship

Rep. Waxman asks DHS Secretary Chertoff to provide information about contracts awarded to Carnival Cruise Lines which could be worth up to $236 million.

EPA Is Using Katrina to Undermine the Clean Air Act

EPA has drafted legislation that would allow the agency to waive any provision of the Clean Air Act, nationwide – including limits on toxic emissions and the health-based air quality standards – without any notice or public comment whenever the Administrator chooses to declare an emergency.

Rep. Waxman and Democratic Leader Pelosi Introduce Legislation to Oversee Gulf Coast Contracting

Democratic Leader Pelosi and Rep. Waxman announce their Hurricane Katrina Accountability and Clean Contracting Bill, H.R. 3838, which would ensure accountability in reconstruction of the Gulf Coast and establish an independent anti-fraud commission to prevente waste, fraud, and abuse in relief and recovery contracts.

Rep. Waxman Decries Partisan Approach to Hurricane Katrina Oversight

| On the floor of the House, Rep. Waxman assails legislation creating a Republican-dominated commission to examine the response to the hurricane disaster, arguing instead for an independent commission.

Committee Holds Hearing on Katrina-Related Issues

| The Committee holds a hearing called by Chairman Davis to compare and contrast emergency plans in Washington DC, Miami, and Los Angeles. Rep. Waxman had earlier requested a hearing to examine the failed federal response to Hurricane Katrina.

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