Howard Berman: “this bill unfairly and without precedent ties disaster assistance for California's flood and earthquake victims to cuts…”

“this bill unfairly and without precedent ties disaster assistance for California's flood and earthquake victims to cuts in programs for low-income seniors and children. Because of that--in spite of how the Northridge Earthquake pounded my congressional district--I must oppose this bill. But I also oppose the motion to recommit. FEMA needs this money to repair earthquake damage to over 200 public schools, to libraries and hospitals, to police stations, museums, and homeless shelters. More victims applied for Federal assistance from the Northridge Earthquake than from Hurricanes Hugo and Andrew, and the floods in the Midwest, Georgia, and Texas combined. After the fact, it is wrong to shift funding from grants to loan guarantees, and shift the entire responsibility onto California's back without regard to its ability to pay. This is the mother of all unfunded mandates. Do not take out--on my constituents and those of Representatives McKeon, Beilenson, Farr, Woolsey, Riggs, and others--your anger at Pete Wilson's failure to do what he should have done for disaster victims-- and your anger at watching the Governor try to launch his Presidential campaign by blasting Washington while shirking his own responsibility to the victims of earthquakes and floods. Being victimized by Mother Nature is bad enough. We should not be victimized anew by Congress. That is why I oppose the motion to recommit.”