U.S. Congressional officials say President Bush plans to ask for 40-billion dollars in emergency funds to finance the next stage of recovery from Hurricane Katrina.
Last week, Mr. Bush signed a 10-point-five-billion-dollar emergency package for hurricane victims. Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid says the hurricane could cost the federal government 150-billion dollars.
Earlier Tuesday, Mr. Bush announced plans to oversee an investigation into what went wrong with the government's response to Hurricane Katrina. His administration has come under strong criticism for the slow pace of relief efforts.
Republican U.S. Senator Susan Collins says she finds it hard to understand how the country could be so unprepared for a catastrophe.
Democratic Senator Hillary Clinton of New York and other congressional leaders have called on Mr. Bush to quickly set up an independent "Katrina Commission" to probe the government's response. She says the federal government made several mistakes in responding to Katrina.
Ms. Clinton added that it is up to the Bush administration to decide whether to ask Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) chief Mike Brown to step down. Some U.S. lawmakers have called for his removal over his agency's handling of the humanitarian disaster following Katrina.
Last week, Mr. Bush signed a 10-point-five-billion-dollar emergency package for hurricane victims. Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid says the hurricane could cost the federal government 150-billion dollars.
Earlier Tuesday, Mr. Bush announced plans to oversee an investigation into what went wrong with the government's response to Hurricane Katrina. His administration has come under strong criticism for the slow pace of relief efforts.
Republican U.S. Senator Susan Collins says she finds it hard to understand how the country could be so unprepared for a catastrophe.
Democratic Senator Hillary Clinton of New York and other congressional leaders have called on Mr. Bush to quickly set up an independent "Katrina Commission" to probe the government's response. She says the federal government made several mistakes in responding to Katrina.
Ms. Clinton added that it is up to the Bush administration to decide whether to ask Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) chief Mike Brown to step down. Some U.S. lawmakers have called for his removal over his agency's handling of the humanitarian disaster following Katrina.