Alcee Hastings: “Mr. Speaker, as someone who represents a district which has been victim to countless natural disasters, I have known…”

“Mr. Speaker, as someone who represents a district which has been victim to countless natural disasters, I have known about the Small Business Administration's disaster loan program for quite some time. Businesses in the district I am privileged to serve and the district of my good friend Mr. Diaz-Balart and throughout South Florida have relied on this program to sustain themselves during the difficult days, weeks and months following natural disasters. Loans provided under SBA's disaster loan assistance program have, at times, literally kept Florida's economy going. While I have seen the greatness of this program, Mr. Speaker, I and my constituents have also seen its shortcomings. Indeed, the problems addressed in the underlying legislation, and I commend the Chair's recommendations and their efforts in that regard, but the problems are not new, and they certainly were not created by Hurricanes Katrina, Rita or Wilma.”