Jerry Lewis: “I rise to express my deep appreciation to the Committee on Appropriations and the House for the very rapid way in which…”

“I rise to express my deep appreciation to the Committee on Appropriations and the House for the very rapid way in which they are responding to the people in southern California. Much of the debate today will swirl around a series of amendments that address the question of offsets to the cost of this disaster. Many Members have ideas as to how we might best cut individual programs to pay for the expenditure that must go forward in order to address this tragedy. I want the House to know that in the past I have voted against offsets that relate to other disasters like the one in Florida or the flood relief. Everybody has their own idea as to which program ought to be cut to pay for a disaster. When the country faces a crisis, it is very important that the Congress respond and not slow down that response by what can be an endless debate about Federal spending and deficit priorities. Indeed, the Speaker is in the process of establishing a task force that will take on the responsibility of trying to develop such formulas relative to national disasters. I wish that task force had already met and completed its work. It has not. Their work will go forward, and it will be very important work. In the meantime, I would urge the House to be very cautious about what is the best formula to offset this disaster expenditure.”