Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-NY, says the federal government can't investigate itself in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Clinton wants an independent panel much like the 9/11 Commission to look into the government's response.

She says storm victims want answers and they deserve them.

"It's time to actually show that this government can be competent,” Clinton told NBC.

She favors removing the Federal Emergency Management Agency from under the Homeland Security Department's umbrella.

She blames problems at FEMA on budget cuts and the ouster of experienced workers she says were replaced by people who lacked the proper expertise.

Clinton bristles at Republican accusations that she and other Democrats are pointing fingers at the Bush administration to score political points.

Meanwhile President Bush is set to ask Congress for another big cash infusion for Hurricane Katrina recovery work.

Congressional officials expect a request for up to $40 billion in addition to the $10 billion “down payment” approved last week.

Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid, however, says Katrina's final price tag could top $150 billion.

Reid says the result of the flooding is costing American taxpayers more per day than the Iraq war.

Meantime, House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi says the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency should be fired. She says Michael Brown has been incompetent.

White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan says now's not the time for recriminations.

HOW YOU CAN HELP: HURRICANE ASSISTANCE WEB SITES

Click Here For Letter Of Hope Web Site To Send Letters To Displaced Hurricane Survivors

Click Here For More Information About Waco Shelter Plans And Resources

Click Here For More Information About Killeen Shelter Plans And Resources

Click Here For More Information About Temple Shelter Plans And Resources

Click Here For OneStar Foundation Web Site

Click Here For Habitat For Humanity Web Site

Click Here For Information On Disaster Relief Appeals From The Better Business Bureau

Click Here For Reports On National Charities From The Better Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance

Click Here For Charity Tips From FEMA

Click Here For American Red Cross Web Site

Click Here For Salvation Army Web Site

Click Here For Second Harvest Web Site

Click Here For Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund Raising Campaign Web Site

Click Here For Catholic Charities Web Site

Click Here For Lutheran Disaster Response Web Site
Click Here For Lutheran Social Services Of The South Web Site

Click Here For National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster Web Site

Click Here For Louisiana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Web Site

Click Here For United Methodist Committee On Relief

Click Here For Episcopal Relief & Development Web Site

Click Here For Information On Southern Baptist Relief Efforts

HURRICANE INFORMATION RESOURCES

Click Here For Texas Work Force Commission Web Site

Click Here For Hurricane Relief Information From U.S. Department Of Labor

Click Here For Texas Health And Human Services Commission Web Site

Click Here For Texas Education Agency Web Site

Click Here For GulfCoastPhotoFreeway.Com Missing Persons Web Site

Click Here For Katrina Shelter Web Site

Click Here For Missing Kids Web Site

Click Here For Hurricane Refugee Contact Web Site

Click Here For WWL-TV Survivors Web Forum

Click Here For Petfinder.Com to find temporary shelter for pets or to register description of missing pets

Click Here For National Hurricane Center Web Site

Click Here For National Weather Service Web Site

Click Here For Hydrologic Information Center For Information On River Flooding

Click Here For Federal Emergency Management Agency Web Site

Click Here For Louisiana Homeland Security Web Site

Click Here For City Of New Orleans Web Site

Click Here For Louisiana Governor’s Web Site

Click Here For State Of Mississippi Web Site

Click Here For Mississippi Emergency Management Web Site

Click Here For Alabama Governor’s Web Site