Lucille Roybal-Allard: “The past few months have witnessed one of the most devastating natural disasters ever endured by our country. They…”

“The past few months have witnessed one of the most devastating natural disasters ever endured by our country. They include hurricanes, voracious wildfires in my home State of California that have killed at least 23 people, required mass evacuations, and burned more than 170,000 acres and thousands of homes and businesses. By acting quickly on this emergency supplemental, we are sending a strong message that we are here for disaster victims, including our fellow citizens in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. But this is just a downpayment. We still don't have the final damage estimates for many of the affected areas. In the coming weeks and months, we will need to once again support FEMA's continued recovery efforts, including in Puerto Rico, despite the President's threats to abandon the people there. There will be more to do to address unmet needs through the Community Development Block Grant program and other disaster relief programs. Mr. Speaker, I encourage support for this bill.”