Hurricane Harvey Lessons Learned: Congressional Field Hearing
January 1, 2018
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The Frame
The hearing serves as an official record of the government's assessment of the Hurricane Harvey response, which informs future federal disaster policy, funding allocations for flood infrastructure, and emergency management protocols for the Houston region.
Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.
Houston Residents
Residents are impacted by the federal disaster policies and infrastructure decisions discussed during the hearing.
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
FEMA is responsible for implementing disaster response and recovery programs as evaluated by the committee.
Last recorded activity January 1, 2018.
Next step not available in the current record.
Summary
Key Facts
- The hearing was held on April 9, 2018, in Houston, Texas, to evaluate the response to Hurricane Harvey.
- The Committee on Homeland Security heard testimony from two panels: federal agency representatives and local government/community leaders.
- Federal witnesses included representatives from FEMA, the U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and HUD.
- Local witnesses included the Mayor of Houston, a Harris County Commissioner, and representatives from the NAACP.
- The record includes supplemental materials regarding reservoir flooding predictions, psychological distress surveys, and hospital association statements.
- The hearing addressed the coordination between federal, state, and local entities during the disaster.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the purpose of this hearing?
Who testified at the hearing?
Why It Matters
The hearing serves as an official record of the government's assessment of the Hurricane Harvey response, which informs future federal disaster policy, funding allocations for flood infrastructure, and emergency management protocols for the Houston region.
News Coverage
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Post-Disaster Oversight
The hearing demonstrates a formal mechanism for Congressional oversight following major natural disasters to influence future agency operations.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.govinfo.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance75How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy40Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment20Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz15Current news / social attention level
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