mr. speaker , house resolution 439 is a closed rule providing for 1 hour of debate for consideration of h. res. 437 , a resolution establishing a select bipartisan committee to investigate the preparation for and response to hurricane katrina . 
the rule waives all points of order against consideration of the bill and provides one motion to recommit which may not contain instructions . 
mr. speaker , the human suffering and physical damage wrought by hurricane katrina is heart-wrenching and overwhelming . 
we all know that very well . 
lives have been lost and uprooted . 
families are separated without homes and without jobs . 
our initial focus has been on restoring hope and rebuilding community on the gulf coast . 
with great urgency congress came together and with virtual unanimity passed legislation to fund the very important relief efforts . 
over $ 60 billion has been appropriated so far . 
also critical has been the outpouring of support and generosity from fellow americans and very importantly from 94 countries around the world . 
from small businesses to large corporations , people are pitching in . 
that said , as president bush has stated , there were aspects of the immediate response to hurricane katrina that were not acceptable . 
he said that this week , and i am sure that it will be made clear in the remarks that he gives to the nation this evening . 
already we have seen the head of the federal emergency management agency resign . 
clearly , many lessons are to be learned from what has happened . 
as debris is removed , water recedes and homes are rebuilt , we in congress must now assume our very serious and consequential constitutional oversight role of the executive branch and federal agencies so that we can find out exactly what went wrong and what went right in the early response to hurricane katrina . 
we need to get to the bottom of what happened , when it happened and why it happened . 
mr. speaker , to fulfill our oversight responsibility , we are following precedent and honoring tradition by creating a bipartisan select committee to look at the response of the government to hurricane katrina . 
this select committee will allow us to take a sober , serious , nonpartisan look at the development , coordination and execution of relief by state , local and federal authorities . 
at the same time , we must take great care not to interfere with the ongoing hurricane katrina recovery efforts . 
critical personnel are still on the ground and actively involved in a time-sensitive , decision-making process . 
congress can help uncover a better way forward , but it should not disrupt the progress that is being made at this moment . 
mr. speaker , this rule serves as the most practical vehicle by which to consider this critically important legislation . 
i urge my colleagues to support the rule and the underlying legislation . 
mr. speaker , i reserve the balance of my time . 
