Jeff Denham: “Just in closing, I want to talk about one final example, and it deals with the debris removal. Our bill dealing with…”

“Just in closing, I want to talk about one final example, and it deals with the debris removal. Our bill dealing with debris removal will change, literally saving hundreds of millions of dollars. Without the change in law, FEMA was able to get a 30-day pilot program. This is with Sandy, had a 30-day pilot program, where in New Jersey, utilizing the pilot program, they removed debris for $19 per cubic yard. In Long Island, using the Army Corps of Engineers, it was $129 per yard. That is a huge significant savings, one that, in the debris removal part of this, the 30-day pilot, it's time for it to move along and become part of law. We need to do this now. This bill has broad support from a number of different areas, including the National League of Cities, the United States Conference of Mayors, the Association of State Floodplain Managers, the International Association of Emergency Managers, the Disaster Recovery Contractors Association, the National Association of Counties, the United South and Eastern Tribes Incorporation, just to name a few. With that, Madam Speaker, I would ask for a favorable vote, and I yield back the balance of my time.”