It's doubtful many of you have ever heard of the House Appropriation Committee's Surveys and Investigations team...I sure hadn't.  But it exists, and is tasked with providing oversight of contracts and other appropriations processes.  It used to be headed by Robert Pearre, appointed by then-Chairman Jerry Lewis (R-CA); last fall, Pearre effectively dismantled the unit by firing the majority of its staff without warning.

But it looks like the team is being put back together under new Chairman David Obey's (D-WI) watch - he's just replaced Pearre with his own deputy staff director, David Pomerantz:

One of the first things they'll reportedly do is complete the Hurricane Katrina probe that was derailed by the firings.