“Overall, the majority report is a comprehensive, detailed recitation of the problems that occurred in responding to Hurricane Katrina,” Melancon and Jefferson wrote.  “The majority report rarely assesses how these problems occurred, why they were not corrected sooner and who in particular was responsible.”

 Further, the two wrote, the limited time and resources of the investigation hindered its ability to obtain critical documents from the Administration.  Additionally, based on the majority report’s own conclusions, the two democrats recommended the removal of Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, a recommendation that the majority failed to make.

 “Just like our people are looking to stronger levees for the confidence to rebuild, we need a change in leadership at DHS to give people confidence that if another storm hits, the disaster response won’t become another disaster,” Melancon said of Chertoff.  “That said, my biggest frustration with this investigation is that it focuses only on events in August and September.  Our problems are now.  This investigation did nothing to help anyone move back home to Louisiana, get a trailer, or begin to rebuild.”

 “This investigation only tipped the iceberg of what we need to know about the days and weeks following the hurricanes,” Jefferson said.  “An independent, bipartisan commission, similar to the 9-11 commission, is necessary to provide true insight and give Congress the freedom to focus on meeting our present and most urgent needs – the ongoing rebuilding efforts along the Gulf Coast.”