[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 16]
[House]
[Page 21589]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 NO NEED FOR AN INDEPENDENT COMMISSION

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gohmert) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. GOHMERT. Mr. Speaker, a number of our friends across the aisle 
yesterday once again demanded that an independent commission is vital 
to what they said is getting to the truth about the response to 
Hurricane Katrina. They want a commission like the 9/11 Commission. 
They put their hope and their avowed trust in a so-called independent 
commission.
  They also said, in fact, that there had been no adequate 
investigations in recent years, even though their glorified 9/11 
Commission occurred during that time. Yet it was their glorified 9/11 
Commission that recommended putting FEMA under Homeland Security even 
though it had been working just fine where it was. FEMA previously had 
the ability to put resources where it needed them without worrying 
about a higher boss redirecting resources in the budget. Well, folks 
got what they wanted, and it may have been a huge mistake.
  Our friends across the aisle said yesterday that all that goes on 
around here is whitewashing and a cover-up and that is all Congress 
will do anymore. But during my years as a judge, I noticed people will 
often ascribe to the opponents the very motivations and characteristics 
that they themselves have and then assume that the others around them 
are just as devious as they are. Now, whether or not that applies here, 
I will leave for other consideration.
  The fact is, however, if they bear to watch the hearings that have 
been on C-SPAN or gone to the hearings themselves instead of calling 
for a press conference or participated in some way, they have would 
have seen that tough questions were being asked. In fact, some were so 
tough they were really a bit unfair.
  It is Congress's job to oversee such things, and the mere fact that 
Congress has punted such obligation in other cases so it can point 
blame elsewhere if a bad decision is made is no reason to run from our 
responsibility here. In the congressional hearings both sides get to 
ask questions. You get to submit witnesses. And if you do not like the 
majority report, you file a minority report.
  That is not whitewashing. It is simply disingenuous for people to 
come to this building and say by their actions and their words that if 
they cannot be in charge, then they are simply not going to 
participate. Like on schoolyards, some child stamping their foot, 
stomping around saying, if we are not going to do it my way, if I am 
not in charge, I will not play. The trouble is this is not a game. This 
is our Nation at stake.
  Members of Congress were elected to do a job, not complain why 
someone should be doing it for us. We do not need an independent 
commission. We need some additional independent-thinking Members across 
the aisle to step up and help us by doing their job.

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