H. Res. 437

In the House of Representatives, U.S., 

September 15, 2005.

Resolved, 

SECTION 1. ESTABLISHMENT. 

There is hereby established the Select Bipartisan Committee to Investigate the Preparation for and Response to 

Hurricane Katrina (hereinafter referred to as the ‘‘select 

committee’’). 

SEC. 2. COMPOSITION. 

(a) The select committee shall be composed of 20 members appointed by the Speaker, of whom 9 shall be appointed 

after consultation with the Minority Leader. The Speaker 

shall designate one Member as chairman. 

(b)(1) The Speaker and the Minority Leader shall be ex 

officio members of the select committee but shall have no vote 

in the select committee and may not be counted for purposes 

of determining a quorum. 

(2) The Speaker and the Minority Leader each may designate a leadership staff member to assist in their capacity 

as ex officio members, with the same access to select com-
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mittee meetings, hearings, briefings, and materials as employees of the select committee and subject to the same security 

clearance and confidentiality requirements as staff of the select committee. 

SEC. 3. INVESTIGATION AND REPORT. 

The select committee is authorized and directed to conduct a full and complete investigation and study and to report its findings to the House not later than February 15, 

2006, regarding—

(1) the development, coordination, and execution by 

local, State, and Federal authorities of emergency response plans and other activities in preparation for Hurricane Katrina; and 

(2) the local, State, and Federal government response to Hurricane Katrina. 

SEC. 4. PROCEDURE. 

Rule XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives, 

including the items referred to in paragraphs (1) and (2), 

shall apply to the select committee: 

(1) Clause 2(j)(1) of rule XI (guaranteeing the minority additional witnesses). 

(2) Clause 2(m)(3) of rule XI (providing for the authority to subpoena witnesses and documents). 
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SEC. 5. JOINT OPERATIONS. 

The chairman of the select committee, in conducting the 

investigation and study described in section 3, shall consult 

with the chairman of a Senate committee conducting a parallel investigation and study regarding meeting jointly to receive testimony, the scheduling of hearings or issuance of 

subpoenas, and joint staff interviews of key witnesses. 

SEC. 6. STAFF; FUNDING. 

(a)(1) To the greatest extent practicable, the select committee shall utilize the services of staff of employing entities 

of the House. At the request of the chairman in consultation 

with the ranking minority member, staff of employing entities 

of the House or a joint committee may be detailed to the select committee to carry out this resolution and shall be 

deemed to be staff of the select committee. 

(2) The chairman, upon consultation with the ranking 

minority member, may employ and fix the compensation of 

such staff as the chairman considers necessary to carry out 

this resolution. 

(b) There shall be paid out of the applicable accounts of 

the House $500,000 for the expenses of the select committee. 

Such payments shall be made on vouchers signed by the 

chairman and approved in the manner directed by the Committee on House Administration. Amounts made available 

under this subsection shall be expended in accordance with 
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regulations prescribed by the Committee on House Administration. 

SEC. 7. DISSOLUTION AND DISPOSITION OF RECORDS. 

(a) The select committee shall cease to exist 30 days 

after filing the report required under section 3. 

(b) Upon dissolution of the select committee, the records 

of the select committee shall become the records of any committee designated by the Speaker. 

Attest:

Clerk.