Wednesday, September 14, 2005
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal
Reid to travel this week
to hurricane disaster zone
By TONY BATT
STEPHENS WASHINGTON BUREAU
WASHINGTON -- Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid of Nevada plans to travel Friday to New Orleans to inspect the damage from Hurricane Katrina.
Reid is expected to be part of a bipartisan congressional delegation that will include Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn.
Frist already has made one trip to New Orleans since the hurricane occurred.
"I think it's important to go and see," Reid said. "The president has gone (to New Orleans) a couple of times. I want to see what's going on down there."
Details were sketchy but Reid said he planned to visit with residents while he is in the region.
Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., said he hopes to eventually travel to New Orleans.
"I have talked to Senator Frist about when they're going to start sending groups down there, and when they do, I'd like to be a part of it," Ensign said.
On Monday, Reid said he was urging other Democrats to wait before traveling to New Orleans so they would not interfere with relief workers there.
House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., who approves travel by House members, has refused several requests from members seeking to make official trips to New Orleans, according to Congressional Quarterly.
Hastert is concerned the visits may hamper recovery efforts.
So far, Reid and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., have refused to name Democrats to a bipartisan congressional commission being formed by GOP leaders to investigate the government response to Hurricane Katrina.
When told House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, is seeking Democratic input for the commission, Reid reacted sarcastically.
"Isn't that nice? That's so -- I sure appreciate that," Reid said.
"Maybe he should reassess that. Are you sure he could take that bold step and have (Democrats) involved in anything?"
Reid said he would continue to oppose a congressional commission unless it has the same number of Democrats and Republicans and members of both parties would have the power to issue subpoenas.
Reid said he prefers a probe by an independent commission outside Congress.
"You know, Congress is not blameless," Reid said.
"We have some problems of our own. Our investigating ourselves is not a good idea."
