IV 

109TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 437 

To establish the Select Bipartisan Committee to Investigate the Preparation 

for and Response to Hurricane Katrina. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 14, 2005 

Mr. DREIER submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on Rules, and in addition to the Committee on House Administration, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in 

each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

RESOLUTION 

To establish the Select Bipartisan Committee to Investigate 

the Preparation for and Response to Hurricane Katrina. 

1 Resolved, 

2 SECTION 1. ESTABLISHMENT. 

3 There is hereby established the Select Bipartisan 

4 Committee to Investigate the Preparation for and Re5 sponse to Hurricane Katrina (hereinafter referred to as 

6 the ‘‘select committee’’). 

7 SEC. 2. COMPOSITION. 

8 (a) The select committee shall be composed of 20 

9 members appointed by the Speaker, of whom 9 shall be 
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1 appointed after consultation with the Minority Leader. 

2 The Speaker shall designate one Member as chairman. 

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

4 ex officio members of the select committee but shall have 

5 no vote in the select committee and may not be counted 

6 for purposes of determining a quorum. 

7 (2) The Speaker and the Minority Leader each may 

8 designate a leadership staff member to assist in their ca9 pacity as ex officio members, with the same access to se10 lect committee meetings, hearings, briefings, and mate11 rials as employees of the select committee and subject to 

12 the same security clearance and confidentiality require13 ments as staff of the select committee. 

14 SEC. 3. INVESTIGATION AND REPORT. 

15 The select committee is authorized and directed to 

16 conduct a full and complete investigation and study and 

17 to report its findings to the House not later than February 

18 15, 2006, regarding— 

19 (1) the development, coordination, and execu20 tion by local, State, and Federal authorities of emer21 gency response plans and other activities in prepara22 tion for Hurricane Katrina; and 

23 (2) the local, State, and Federal government re24 sponse to Hurricane Katrina. 
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1 SEC. 4. PROCEDURE. 

2 Rule XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives, 

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

4 shall apply to the select committee: 

5 (1) Clause 2(j)(1) of rule XI (guaranteeing the 

6 minority additional witnesses). 

7 (2) Clause 2(m)(3) of rule XI (providing for the 

8 authority to subpoena witnesses and documents). 

9 SEC. 5. JOINT OPERATIONS. 

10 The chairman of the select committee, in conducting 

11 the investigation and study described in section 3, shall 

12 consult with the chairman of a Senate committee con13 ducting a parallel investigation and study regarding meet14 ing jointly to receive testimony, the scheduling of hearings 

15 or issuance of subpoenas, and joint staff interviews of key 

16 witnesses. 

17 SEC. 6. STAFF; FUNDING. 

18 (a)(1) To the greatest extent practicable, the select 

19 committee shall utilize the services of staff of employing 

20 entities of the House. At the request of the chairman in 

21 consultation with the ranking minority member, staff of 

22 employing entities of the House or a joint committee may 

23 be detailed to the select committee to carry out this resolu24 tion and shall be deemed to be staff of the select com25 mittee. 
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1 (2) The chairman, upon consultation with the rank2 ing minority member, may employ and fix the compensa3 tion of such staff as the chairman considers necessary to 

4 carry out this resolution. 

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

6 of the House $500,000 for the expenses of the select com7 mittee. Such payments shall be made on vouchers signed 

8 by the chairman and approved in the manner directed by 

9 the Committee on House Administration. Amounts made 

10 available under this subsection shall be expended in ac11 cordance with regulations prescribed by the Committee on 

12 House Administration. 

13 SEC. 7. DISSOLUTION AND DISPOSITION OF RECORDS. 

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

15 after filing the report required under section 3. 

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

17 records of the select committee shall become the records 

18 of any committee designated by the Speaker. 

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