By David Sharp,Associated Press Writer

PORTLAND – U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and another ranking member of the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee have called the federal response to the Gulf Coast disaster “an immense failure” and said they will demand that those in charge answer to Congress. Maine’s other U.S. senator, Republican Olympia Snowe

“While it is too early to reach conclusions on the response of government to this catastrophe, it is increasingly clear that serious shortcomings in preparedness and response have hampered relief efforts at a critical time,” Collins and Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn., said in a statement Friday.

Collins is chairwoman of the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee; Lieberman is the ranking minority member. They said the committee will investigate actions before and after hurricane Katrina ravaged Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.

The Senate investigation comes amid bitter criticism about the slow federal response to the disaster on the Gulf Coast.

The initial focus will be to ensure that the government is doing all it can to help the victims, the senators said.

An initial briefing by the Homeland Security Department for the committee and senators from affected states will be held Wednesday in Washington.

Later, the committee will hold hearings on shortcomings in preparedness and response. They said they will “demand answers as to how this immense failure occurred.”

“It is critical that we in the Senate do everything in our power to strengthen the federal governments response, and that we thoroughly examine what appears to be breakdowns in preparedness for and responses to disasters, without interfering with efforts that are currently underway,” they said.

Their announcement came on the same day President Bush toured the hurricane-battered region and vowed the government will restore order. He said $10.5 billion approved by Congress was just a small downpayment for disaster relief.

He acknowledged shortcomings in the response to help the thousands of people left homeless and hungry and desperate for help. “The results are not acceptable,” he said.

Snowe also joined those in Congress who were criticizing the federal disaster response in New Orleans.

“Witnessing the horrific scenes on television of people in utter desperation, it is unimaginable that in the 21st century we are unable to provide for their basic needs of food, water and security,” she said.

Snowe said it was “inconceivable” that the wealthiest nation cannot muster a response commensurate with this humanitarian catastrophe

“The full resources of the United States of America must be brought to bear now to provide swift and immediate relief from this disastrous emergency,” she said.

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