February 06, 2006   COLLINS-LIEBERMAN HEARING EXPOSES CONFUSION & TURF BATTLES AMONG AGENCIES RESPONDING TO HURRICANE KATRINA Public Safety & Law Enforcement Response Plauged by Interagencey Rivalries; Communications Repair Crews Denied Access to Affected Areas   Chairman Susan Collins (R-ME) and Ranking Member Joseph Lieberman (D-CT) today held a hearing of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee titled, “Hurricane Katrina: Managing Law Enforcement and Communications in a Catastrophe.” The hearing focused on two essential elements of disaster response that suffered breakdowns following Hurricane Katrina: coordinated law enforcement to protect the public and first responders and effective communications to expedite rescue and relief efforts. This was the 16th in a series of hearings being held by the committee as part of its ongoing investigation into the government’s preparation for and response to Hurricane Katrina. Today’s hearing exposed confusion, turf battles, and interagency rivalries that occurred during and, in some cases, prevented the efficient response to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The committee today released emails from key Department of Homeland Security (DHS) staffers demonstrating that nearly one week after Katrina hit, there was still confusion and debate over whether DHS or the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) would serve as the lead agency in managing the public safety and law enforcement response. Emails released today also show that communications companies were often held up by Federal, State, and local authorities from returning to New Orleans to repair the communications system, even though that system was vital to response and recovery efforts. “The lack of coordination among law enforcement agencies at all levels of government was both obvious and unacceptable. Communications among first responders and with their headquarters were, at best, sporadic, inconsistent, and overwhelmed by competing traffic. More often, it was non-existent,” said Senator Collins. “This Committee has invested a great amount of time and effort over several years to strengthen the emergency response partnership and to improve our nation’s emergency communications capabilities, and we have made some progress. The problems highlighted today, however, demonstrate the grim consequences that result when that partnership breaks down and communications fail.” "DHS was overwhelmed and largely unprepared to provide the emergency communications and law enforcement support the Gulf Coast needed after Hurricane Katrina struck. That’s a serious failure," Lieberman said. "And that failure was part of a larger failure from Jan. 6, 2005 – when the National Response Plan was issued – to Aug. 29, when Katrina struck, of the Department of Homeland Security to take steps to clarify its role and prepare key officials to carry out their responsibilities under the National Response Plan in time of disaster. DHS' unpreparedness left state, local police, firefighters, search and rescue teams, FEMA teams and Red Cross volunteers –and the public - adrift without communications or the public safety support they needed from the federal government." The witnesses who testified at today’s hearing were: Michael J. Vanacore, Director of International Affairs, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Department of Homeland Security; Kenneth W. Kaiser, Special Agent in Charge, Boston Field Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation; Warren J. Riley, Superintendent of Police, New Orleans Police Department; Peter M. Fonash, Ph.D., Deputy Manager, National Communications System, U.S. Department of Homeland Security; Colonel FG Dowden, Regional Liaison, New Orleans Department of Homeland Security and Public Safety; William L. Smith, Chief Technology Officer, BellSouth Corporation.   ###   Printable Version   « previous Press Release next Press Release »   1998 - 1999 - 2000 - 2001 - 2002 - 2003 - 2004 - 2005 - 2006 - 2007 February 2006 Press Releases   February 23 - Lieberman Statement on Townsend Report   February 21 - Senators Collins, Lieberman, Coleman and Levin Express Concern over Sale of U.S. Port Operations to Dubai-Controlled Company   February 16 - Senate Approves Collins-Lieberman "Katrina Emergency Assistance Act"   February 16 - Secretary Chertoff Testifies About DHS Failures in Response to Hurricane Katrina   February 15 - Senator Lieberman Delivers Statement at Hearing on Homeland Security Department's Preparation and Response   February 14 - Collins, Lieberman Hold Hurricane Katrina Hearing on Waste, Fraud and Abuse in FEMA's Assistance Programs   February 10 - Lieberman Says DHS Must Be Held Accountable   February 9 - Military Role in Katrina Response Seemed Cobbled Together   February 6 current Press Release   February 6 - Lieberman Assails Administration Budget for Failing First Responders   February 6 - Lieberman Statement on Law Enforcement and Communications Problems Faced in Response to Hurricane Katrina   February 6 - Collins, Lieberman Express Concern Over Security Flaw in GSA Contractor Website   February 3 - Senators Collins & Lieberman Urge President Bush to Broaden Authority of Federal Coordinator for Hurricane Katrina Recovery   February 3 - Lieberman Urges DHS to Explain Why New Haven, SW Connecticut Are Ineligible for High Risk Homeland Security Grants   February 2 - Louisiana & Mississippi Governors Testify in Hurricane Katrina Hearing   February 1 - Collins-Lieberman Invite DHS Secretary to Work Together on FEMA Overhaul   February 1 - Senator Lieberman's Statement on Managing the Crisis and Evacuating New Orleans   February 1 - New Orleans Mayor Testifies at Hearing to Examine Public Officials' Responsibilities & Response to Katrina
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs 340 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510