[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 108 (Friday, September 2, 2005)]
[House]
[Pages H7640-H7641]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     EXPRESSING SHAME AT GOVERNMENT'S RESPONSE TO HURRICANE KATRINA

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Miller) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. MILLER of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I know that today's 
session was a formality, that there would be no votes other than a 
voice vote; but I thought it was important to be here, to show my 
support for the victims of Hurricane Katrina in whatever way I could, 
however modest.
  Martin Luther King said that we cannot walk alone. We are responsible 
for one another. We help others in need on the faith that when we are 
in need, we will be helped. North Carolinians have twice faced 
desperate needs following devastating hurricanes in just the last 
decade. Other Americans have responded generously, both acting together 
through their government and in their contributions to private relief 
efforts. Americans are again responding generously to help the victims 
of Hurricane Katrina.
  But, Mr. Speaker, I share the anger of many Americans at how 
shamefully inadequate our government's response has been. Tens of 
thousands of Americans are living outside the walls of civilization. 
They are without food, they are without water to drink, they are 
without medicine or medical care, they are without effective shelter. 
Mr. Speaker, they are without the protection against violence that law 
provides.
  The failures that have led to that are not the failures of the last 4 
days, but of the last 4 years. There have been repeated warnings that 
New Orleans and the Gulf Coast were vulnerable to precisely what has 
occurred, and yet our government was stunningly unprepared.
  The President's press secretary was asked earlier this week about our 
Nation's response, our government's response to the hurricane, and he 
said now is not the time for finger-pointing. Earlier today on this 
floor the gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis) said now is not the 
time for finger-pointing. The gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Wamp) has 
said now is not the time for finger-pointing. The gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Kirk) said now is not the time for recrimination. The 
gentleman from California (Mr. Daniel E. Lungren) said now is not the 
time for recrimination or for finger-pointing.
  They say that this is a time to grieve for the victims of the 
hurricane; and, Mr. Speaker, I do grieve for the victims of the 
hurricane. They say now is the time to help the victims of the 
hurricane; and, Mr. Speaker, I want to help the victims of the 
hurricane in every way I can. I am here today, and like millions of 
Americans, my wife and I are contributing to private relief efforts.
  But, Mr. Speaker, there has to come a time for accountability. If 
there is not accountability for the stunning failures that we have seen 
in our government's response to this hurricane, we will fail again and 
again.
  I know that this administration thinks that accountability is an 
ephemeral thing. If there is an attempt at accountability too soon, it 
is finger-pointing. If there is an attempt at accountability too late, 
then it is something you should get over. There is just a moment for 
accountability.
  Mr. Speaker, tell me when that moment will be? Tell me precisely when 
the moment will come for accountability for the failures of our 
response, for the failures of our planning that have led to the 
devastation and the hardships that we are seeing now.

[[Page H7641]]

  Mr. Speaker, tell me where the line forms to ask hard questions.

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