[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 437 Engrossed in House (EH)]
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 committee 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).
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 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.