Letter to President Requesting Information on White House Briefings by the National Hurricane Center on Hurricane Katrina

The Honorable George W. Bush
President of the United States of America
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear Mr. President:

I write because of my committee's jurisdictional responsibilities over the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and more specifically over the National Weather Service (NWS) and its National Hurricane Center (NHC).  According to press reports, Max Mayfield, director of the National Hurricane Center, personally briefed you on Sunday, August 28 about the impending landfall of Hurricane Katrina and its potential effects.

The oversight responsibilities of the Science Committee make it imperative that the committee fully understand the depth and substance of the communications between the NHC and your Administration.  That understanding necessarily includes the details of your conversation with the NHC Director and any other conversations between senior White House staff and members of NOAA, including the NWS and its NHC....

Related Subcommittees

• Environment, Technology, and Standards (109th Congress)

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