ARMED FORCES RESPONSE TO KATRINA -- (Senate - September 13, 2005)
Mr. WARNER. I thank the distinguished Presiding Officer. Mr. President, I would first like to say, as I mentioned, we receive a report everyday in the Senate from the Department of Defense regarding specifically the Guard and Active-Duty. Then, in addition, we receive a report from the Corps of Engineers. Our committee is a repository of these reports, but I am happy to share them with any Senators who so desire. They need only contact the Armed Services Committee or me personally, and I will see they are provided with the reports.
I join Senator Lott and others in expressing our profound gratitude and pride to the men and women of the Armed Forces and indeed their families who are left at home for their service, responding with courage and untiring professionalism and compassion to our fellow citizens who fell victim to this tragic disaster.
As you know, our military has a supporting role in the effort. I underline ``supporting role'' because in no way do we mean to displace the valiant efforts of those on the scene, the first responders, such that were able to muster their forces and respond.
I wish to pay tribute to the magnificent response of all. I have stated the numbers a minute ago.
Furthermore, I wish to highlight that the National Guard forces are meeting the challenge, as well as the national commitments--Afghanistan and Iraq. Once again, our Guard is--I don't like to use the word ``stressed,'' but they are challenged. I have spoken with General Blum, who is the Commander of the National Guard. He never once flinched when he said we are doing the job and we are going to succeed. Our hats are off to the National Guard. The Navy deployed 20 ships, including the USS Harry S Truman--it is an aircraft carrier. I remember when that ship was named--the USS Whidbey Island and the USS Iwo Jima and the USNS Comfort, the hospital ship. More than 400 aircraft, including 373 helicopters and 93 airplanes, are in support of search and rescue, medical evacuation, and logistical supply missions.
The heroism of those who pilot those helicopters and the crews who go down and rescue the individuals--those chapters in our history will be recorded for posterity. They are absolutely magnificent. We have seen a tremendous response from our rotary and fixed-wing pilots.
Again, to date, the Active-Duty Forces have flown more than 2,783 sorties and the National Guard has flown more than 9,240 sorties. These sorties resulted in the evacuation of more than 80,000 people and the rescue of more than 15,000 people.
Additionally, more than 1,200 beds are available in field hospitals, and seven military installations are providing support as transportation staging areas as ice, water, food, and medical supplies as they became available.
Stop and think. In our daily lives, we go to our refrigerators and there is ice. Ice is something that is badly needed in these high temperatures. I specifically put it in because I watched, as almost every American has watched, as these individuals in their own quiet way ask for certain things. I was particularly struck by the need for ice and fresh water.
The amount of humanitarian support provided to the region is astounding. More than 16 million meals-ready-to-eat--the old MRE or military meals--44 million liters of water, and more than 175 million pounds of ice have been delivered to date.
The Army Corps of Engineers has 39 of its 137 permanent pumps operating throughout New Orleans, with an additional 46 military pumps operating at a lower capacity.
I understand the water level in New Orleans is dropping more than 1 foot per day. They have removed 94,000 cubic yards of debris and opened the Mississippi River to shallow draft traffic and deep vessels less than 39 feet.
As indicated by the tremendous support I have outlined, it is clear that the deep magnitude and devastation of Hurricane Katrina has resulted in an unprecedented response from the Department of Defense.
I want to say first that I do not wish to take away anything from the DOD or the dedicated men and women who have responded to the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina--as it is, without question, a catastrophe without parallel in modern American history, and of a magnitude not seen in my lifetime. However, as many of our colleagues know--and as chairman of the Armed Services Committee--I am deeply concerned that the Department of Defense and our President have authorities to correct standby authorities in permanent law which they need to manage disasters.
Shortly I will engage in a colloquy, hopefully, with my distinguished chairman of the Homeland Defense Committee on the subject of what we should do in the future to look at the framework of laws and standby authorities to determine how better--I repeat, how better--not to fault those who performed in this catastrophe, but how best the totality of all the resources of our Nation can be brought to bear should we ever have the misfortune of another natural disaster or, indeed, a terrorist act of the magnitude that we witnessed.
When I was privileged to assume chairmanship of the Armed Services Committee--before 9/11, I point out--our committee established a subcommittee called Emerging Threats. The function of that subcommittee has, is, and will be to look into the future to determine how best to prepare, primarily in our case, for a terrorist attack against our Nation. But those preparations can easily be directed toward a natural disaster, should it occur. I am very proud of the accomplishments of that subcommittee in the years I have been privileged to be chairman. But I believe the time has come that we reflect on the Posse Comitatus Act and other statutes which have stood by and served this Nation quite well in years past.
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the RECORD additional documentation.
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Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, as we face an uncertain future as it relates to terrorism and the use of weapons of mass destruction, I have some thoughts with regard to this law which was passed in 1878 which restricts in certain ways--and the predicate for doing so is wise--men and women of the Armed Forces--that is, a permanent U.S. military as opposed to National Guard--in matters relating to law enforcement.
Traditionally, that has always been left to the local authorities, and that is the way it should be. But sometimes there may be one--I will have to examine the facts--that becomes so overwhelming or so incapacitated by a natural disaster, or perhaps a terrorist attack, that the Armed Forces may have to perform some of those duties. We want to make sure the President has that capability.
Also, there are other permanent laws on the books called the Insurrection Statutes. At a very minimum, I would like to see the name changed that we put on this for reasons quite different than the threats and challenges that face this Nation today. But that statute also might be reviewed, along with the Posse Comitatus Act, to see whether other permanent pieces of law should be modified to meet the contingencies we face here in the future.
I see the distinguished chairman of the Homeland Defense Committee. I wonder if I might direct a question to her.
In the briefings we have had before our committee by members of various departments and agencies who had authorities to deal with this, I came away with an impression that we have to, in a very quiet and careful manner, look at the totality of the permanent law and regulations to determine what changes should be made to meet a contingency of the nature we have experienced--indeed, whether it is a natural disaster or military terrorist attack in the future. I wonder if our distinguished chairman has progressed in her thinking on this point.
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