Hurricane Katrina-related Legislation and Reports

In the past few days, Congress has introduced many new pieces of legislation as a result of Hurricane Katrina and the challenges raised by the aftermath. For instance, the relief package Senator Baucus proposed (as senior Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee) has been included in a comprehensive package introduced in the Senate today. Below are some of the bills in the works with short descriptions.

General funding and administrative bills

Public Law 109-61 (H.R. 3645)	Emergency appropriations
H.R. 3672	Block grants to states
H.R. 3673	Further emergency supplemental appropriations
H.R. 3684	Suspend the Davis-Bacon wage rate requirements
S. 1630	National Emergency Family Locator System

Bills relating to education

H.R. 3169	Pell grants
H.R. 3668	Federal student grant assistance
H.R. 3690	Relief to students, schools, and student borrowers
S. 1628	Pell grants

Bills relating to health care

H.R. 3666	Access to health care from the VA
H.R. 3671	100% coverage for displaced Medicaid recipients

Bills relating to FEMA

H.R.3656	Making FEMA a separate agency again
H.R. 3659	Making FEMA a separate agency again
H.R. 3669	National flood insurance program
H.R. 3685	Making FEMA a separate agency again
S. 1612	Under Secretary for Emergency Preparedness and Qualifications Act of 2005
S. 1615	Making FEMA a separate agency again
S. 1622	Commission to examine the Federal, State, and local response

Bills relating to price gouging

H.R. 3675	Increasing civil penalties for "deceptive acts or practices"
H.R. 3681	Outlawing price gouging
S. 1631	Windfall profit tax

Bills relating to gasoline

H.R. 3683	Suspend motor fuel Federal excise taxes for 30 days
S. 1610	Inquiry into price of gasoline
S. 1629	Temporarily freeze the price of gasoline

Recent resolutions

H.RES. 425	Condolences to victims
H.RES. 428	Gratitude for foreign offers of assistance
S.RES. 233	Condolences to victims
S.RES. 235	Solicitation of donations in Senate buildings

Several new reports have been released which are worth a look.

Macroeconomic and Budgetary Effects of Hurricane Katrina
A Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report.

First Responders Urged Not To Respond To Hurricane Impact Areas Unless Dispatched By State, Local Authorities
A FEMA press release (link reported on beSpacific).

Hurricane Katrina Congressional Updates
This Gallery Watch resource links to relevant correspondence and CRS reports (thanks again to beSpacific for the link).