Gulf Coast Digs Out as Washington Looks for Answers

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President Bush and Congress have called for investigations into what went wrong with disaster preparedness and relief in hurricane country. Vice President Cheney will tour the area on Thursday. Meantime, in New Orleans, the Army Corps of Engineers has repaired the 17th Street Levee break and the water level has dropped a bit, but officials say it could take the next 80 days to dry out the city; fires are inhibiting the search for what may turn out to be thousands of bodies. The Mayor of New Orleans says, "It's going to awful, and it's going to wake the nation up again." We hear from with journalists, legal and public policy experts, religious leaders and Congressional representatives about response to Katrina and rescue operations that are still underway.
  • Making News: Congress Responds to the Response to Katrina
    President Bush wants to lead an investigation into what went wrong in response to Hurricane Katrina, but the US Senate isn't losing any time. Republican Susan Collins of Maine says she'll head a bipartisan effort to answer disturbing questions. Democrat Joseph Lieberman called this "a moment of national crisis-in America's self-confidence, but agreed the inquiry should be bipartisan. Dana Milbank of the Washington Post has more.
  • Reporter-s Notebook: The Supreme Court and Political Timing
    As the body of the late William Rehnquist lies in state at the US Supreme Court before his funeral tomorrow, President Bush moved quickly to designate Judge John Roberts as the Chief Justice's successor. Already chosen to succeed retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, Roberts was to begin Senate confirmation hearings today. John Hardwood of the Wall Street Journal reports on the scenario for replacing the leader of America's third branch of government.

President Bush on Katrina recovery, investigation

Senators Collins, Lieberman launch oversight investigation into Katrina response

Washington Post article on President, Congress pledging investigations into Katrina relief efforts

Army Corps of Engineers on Katrina response

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) on Katrina

Judy Muller-s (NPR) commentary on hurricane bringing plight of poor into focus

Times Picayune-s open letter to President Bush on response to Katrina

Waxman-s letter on federal response to levees, Katrina

President Bush nominates John Roberts to Be Supreme Court Chief Justice

Senate Judiciary Committee on Roberts- hearings

Credits

Host:

Warren Olney