![](http://scd.mm-c1.yimg.com/image/1171951933"/img)
If you would like on or off the Louisiana Ping list please FReepmail me and your name will be added or taken off of the list.
Posted on 12/13/2005 4:44:52 PM PST by LA Woman3
We've seen the 100,000 pages of e-mails, and now we're about to hear from Governor Blanco herself about the state's response to Katrina. Governor Blanco will testify Wednesday before the House Committee on Hurricane Katrina. This testimony comes in the last week Congress is in session this year.
Governor Blanco will be speaking to the committee looking at the state's response and what the federal government can learn from it, but one committee member tells 9 News what the governor has to say may also affect whether help will come before Congress adjourns. Governor Blanco's Deputy Chief of Staff Kim Hunter Reed gave 9 News a preview of the testimony.
"I think this is a great opportunity to set the record straight on what we've done," says Reed.
She says the governor will review what lessons Louisiana and the nation can learn from Hurricane Katrina. For example, that the nation needs better interoperability -- meaning better communication between first responders, law enforcement, and the military; that nursing homes need clear and better evacuation plans to get the elderly to safety; better private sector cooperation is needed between hotels, airlines, and bus services; the government needs to know where its assets are - who has what equipment, and where; and that the Stafford Act, the federal law governing FEMA, needs to be reformed.
Governor Blanco will also lay out her wish list for Congress, which is days away from recessing for the year. Topping the list is levees. She'll also push for aid in housing, insurance, community grants, and health care.
U.S. Representative Kay Granger serves on the Katrina committee. She says the lessons are helpful, but more than anything, she's looking for answers.
"What we're trying to put together is an exact timeline," says Granger. "There were so many stories and so we don't want anecdotes, we want to really know who was doing what, and where the process succeeded and where the process failed."
That may be found within the 100,000 pages of documents sent to the committee for the hearing. Reed says the paper trail only shows part of the story, but that story isn't clear.
"The documentation comprehensively shows a strong commitment to search and rescue, all the work that was done pre-Katrina to move citizens to safety, and an enormous effort by many state officials to try to ensure we got our citizens out as quickly as possible."
Congresswoman Granger also serves on the powerful appropriations committee, the group that decides where federal money goes. She says a clear plan for rebuilding will help Louisiana get more federal aid.
Blanco goes to Washington ping!
MEEEEEEEMAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!
Will CSPAN cover it live?
If she shows up in Liz Clairborne, we'll know her staff won that argument. :-)
What will she wear?
A name tag that reads; MeeMawditzmoronessguvblanco, to use just those found on one thread today within the first seven posts.
If you would like on or off the Louisiana Ping list please FReepmail me and your name will be added or taken off of the list.
exactly, WHAT should she wear? Maybe something that has some water spots, and rolled up sleeves, and a make up artist make her look like she spent the night at the Superdome. This just CAN"T be taken lightly.
Well, at least she won't be competing with "I am a fashion god" Michael Brown.
The media should send their style reporters to the hearings.
It's called Cleaning Off The Fan.
Blanko
Peter Principle
Naggin
Peter Principle
...
As long as this fascist pig is denying the right to vote to the people of New Orleans Congress should refuse to allow her to speak.
Will this be on cspan?
Can we expect her to reveal what SHE has learned from this jurricane?
jurrocame = hurricane (Must have been thinking of the JURY...here at FR...LOL)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.