Alcee Hastings: “Mr. Chairman, I have heard, as have all of us this evening, of vital concerns about our Nation's disasters or impending…”

“Mr. Chairman, I have heard, as have all of us this evening, of vital concerns about our Nation's disasters or impending disasters. We have heard about farmers and fishermen and natural disasters. As we are speaking, in Ft. Worth, Texas, yet another disaster has occurred. I rise not to offer anything other than what I hope is some measure of creativity that does not seem to come about in this glacial body. Is there anything wrong with us having a 14th committee that would consist of the respective chairs of the committees of jurisdiction of this Congress and perhaps two or more members appointed by the Speaker and the minority leader that handle nothing more than disasters so that we can move in better fashion than we do? It seems that we wait for people who are flooded out and people who are blown away, and we are here going back and forth and back and forth all the time without having a committee that can do this. I just invite my colleagues to consider something different so that we can expedite the process. Disasters are going to continue to occur.”