Republican House and Senate leaders announced a joint investigation into the government’s response to the hurricane. No Democrats attended the press conference announcing the probe. This marks the first joint investigation since the Iran-Contra probe of the 1980s. Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada responded to the probe by saying, “An investigation of the Republican administration by a Republican-controlled Congress is like having a pitcher call his own balls and strikes.” Reid also questioned on Tuesday if President Bush’s month-long vacation played a role in the government’s handling of the disaster. President Bush didn’t return to Washington until two days after Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast region.