Zoe Lofgren: “I rise as the chair of the California Democratic Congressional Delegation to urge that we focus our energy on standing…”

“I rise as the chair of the California Democratic Congressional Delegation to urge that we focus our energy on standing with firefighters, businesses, and families impacted by the Los Angeles County fire, not politics. I have been hearing unprecedented political attacks, lies, and threats of conditioning disaster aid, even while these fires rage. This is the largest urban fire in the history of the United States. Our rule has always been disaster help without conditions. Mr. Speaker, if you want to change our longstanding policy, remember, your constituents could be the next ones to be abandoned. As my California colleague Congresswoman Young Kim said this week, ``fires don't discriminate,'' and she is right. In December, when disaster aid went to victims in Republican-led States, including North Carolina, South Carolina, Arkansas, and Florida, Democrats overwhelmingly voted for that aid. Mr. Speaker, we didn't discriminate then, and we must not discriminate now during Californians time of need. ____________________”