In his speech, the president called for a congressional investigation besides the administration's self-examination. But Democrats want an independent probe similar to the one conducted by the September 11 Commission instead of reviews that will be led by the Republican-controlled Congress and White House.

The president said the federal government will pay most of the costs of rebuilding the Gulf Coast, including New Orleans.

"There is no way to imagine America without New Orleans, and this great city will rise again," Bush said.

In an unrelated development, Bush on Thursday approved an independent panel's recommendations for an ambitious round of domestic base closures aimed at making the US armed forces leaner and saving the Pentagon an estimated US$37 billion over 20 years.

Bush accepted the recommendations contained in a report by the Base Closure and Realignment Commission to close 22 major US military bases after a requirement that he either reject it or sign off on it in full.

Congress is not permitted to make changes to the final report. The recommendations will go into effect in 45 days unless Congress rejects them in full.

(China Daily 09/17/2005 page7)