WASHINGTON -- A year overdue, the Federal Emergency Management Agency issued a draft disaster housing strategy Monday, which leaves it largely up to the next administration to figure out a way to avoid Hurricane Katrina-like problems that sent victims to toxic trailers.

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Sen. Landrieu suggested the Corps ask President Bush for more funds.

Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu says what FEMA delivered is a strategy without a plan.

Mississippi Representative Bennie Thompson was more optimistic about FEMA's draft strategy, commending the agency for creating a task force on housing.

Hurricane Katrina devastated Louisiana and Mississippi in 2005, displacing 1 million people and sending thousands to travel trailers. Those trailers were later discovered to have high levels of formaldehyde -- a preservative commonly used in building materials. Prolonged exposure to the chemical can lead to breathing problems and is also believed to cause cancer.

According to the draft strategy, the government may house disaster victims in trailers only as a last resort -- despite promises never to use them again. Only the head of FEMA can approve the use of such trailers, and they would have to meet the agency's standard for low formaldehyde levels. Also, disaster victims could stay in the trailers for only six months.

FEMA also establishes a National Disaster Housing Task Force, which will be organized in the next two months to address housing issues, such as what to use on short notice instead of travel trailers.

There is a 60-day comment period. Landrieu's Senate oversight committee plans to hold a hearing next week. Among the questions lawmakers will ask FEMA is why this task force wasn't created in 2006.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)