mr. speaker , this is a very important debate for our country . 
i can not imagine anything more important to the american people than an independent investigation of why the response to hurricane katrina fell so short of expectations . 
we need a full accounting of what went wrong at all levels of government so such failures do n't happen again . 
i support the appointment of a non-partisan , independent commission -- modeled after the successful 9/11 commission -- to investigate the response to hurricane katrina . 
an independent commission is the only way to get to the bottom of this . 
the commission would look into every aspect of the preparation and response to hurricane katrina , and let the chips fall where they may . 
the american people have made it clear this is what they want as well . 
a new washington post/abc poll found that 76 percent of the public supports the creation of an independent commission . 
the leadership of the house badly misreads the public mood when it disregards the clear wishes of the american people for a non-partisan investigation . 
we need to look at our government 's weaknesses and correct them . 
i oppose the straightjacket procedure under which the house is considering this legislation . 
the majority calls this a `` select bipartisan committee , '' but the legislation was drafted behind closed doors with no input from democrats . 
this is bipartisanship ? 
the leadership of the house will not even allow democrats the opportunity to offer a substitute and have a straight up-or-down vote on it . 
is the majority 's position so weak that it can not withstand a debate ? 
i do n't think the american people are going to have much patience for partisanship on this issue . 
they want answers and a measure of public accountability , not a partisan whitewash . 
there are hard questions to be asked about the slow , disorganized , and woefully inadequate response to a natural disaster that left a major u.s. city uninhabitable . 
the proposal before the house calls for a house investigation that would be completely controlled by the republican party . 
republicans would outnumber democrats on the committee 11 to 9. there would be no bipartisan subpoena power . 
with all due respect , this would be an investigation in name only . 
it would have no credibility with the american people . 
you ca n't have a comprehensive and fair investigation when the people controlling that investigation have a vested interest in the outcome . 
i urge the house to reject this unfair procedure and reject the very partisan investigation it seeks to establish . 
