Washington, D.C. -- Senator Daniel Akaka (D-HI) this week joined Senators Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), Pete Domenici (R-NM), and Mary Landrieu (D-LA) in Louisiana and Texas to assess damage to energy infrastructure caused by hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Yesterday, the Senators were in Texas for briefings on industry recovery efforts. Today they toured an ExxonMobil refinery near Baton Rouge and Colonial Pipeline facilities. Later they will visit downtown New Orleans, including the 17th Street Canal, 9th Ward, and Hydrogen Plant. Tomorrow, Senators Akaka and Domenici will tour the southern utility Entergy Corporation.

Senator Akaka said, "This visit gives us a first hand look at how bad our energy situation is especially as gas prices continue to rise across the country. I look forward to returning to Washington to discuss our energy security needs now and what must be done to prevent such devastation to our energy infrastructure in the future."

The lawmakers will return to Washington D.C. tomorrow. The trip will be discussed at a Senate Energy Committee hearing on Thursday, beginning at 10:00 a.m. in Dirksen 366.

Senator Akaka is a senior member of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.