GAO: Providing Oversight of the Nation’s Preparedness, Response, and Recovery Activities - Statement of Norman J. Rabkin, Managing Director, Homeland Security and Justice Issues
(GAO-05-1053T - September 28, 2005)
From the introduction: "What GAO Found: GAO’s past work has noted a host of needed improvements in a variety of government programs related to Hurricane Katrina and other natural disasters. For example, GAO found that there have been a number of challenges in preparing health care providers for catastrophic events.
In addition, GAO’s work on energy issues has noted the interconnectedness of our petroleum markets and revealed the vulnerability of these markets to disruptions, natural or otherwise. GAO’s environmental work has indicated that the loss of wetlands has increased the severity of damage from hurricanes, and that cleanup of contaminated sites takes a tremendous amount of coordination and funding.
Finally, GAO’s work on telecommunications issues has found that interoperable emergency communications are challenged by insufficient collaboration among federal, state, and local governments. In these areas, among others, GAO has made a number of recommendations which are still open."
This 25-page report includes references and links to prior studies relating to the issues reviewed in this testimony before the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, Committee on Energy and Commerce, House of Representatives.
Posted by dougsimpson at September 28, 2005 03:50 PM