Alcee Hastings: “Disasters in this country are not limited to hurricanes or the Southeast. As I was saying yesterday in the Rules…”

“Disasters in this country are not limited to hurricanes or the Southeast. As I was saying yesterday in the Rules Committee, the chairwoman had storms in her district earlier this week, and there is massive drought going on in parts of this country. All of these are disasters and all of these have major SBA implications. I have lived, and continue to live, in disaster-prone areas, like so many others in Congress and in this country. If our failures of the past have taught us anything, it is that we can no longer be response oriented when it comes to disasters. Mitigation and planning saves money, saves time, and most importantly, saves lives. The RECOVER Act creates a comprehensive and universal plan at the SBA for disaster response. It is the first step on this important path to improving the Federal Government's response to disasters. I urge a 'yes' vote on the rule, the previous question, and the underlying legislation.”