Cord Byrd: “I deeply regret that the other body has chosen to stand in recess for the Memorial Day break without having passed…”

“I deeply regret that the other body has chosen to stand in recess for the Memorial Day break without having passed disaster assistance appropriations for the hundreds of thousands of victims of natural disasters in 33 states throughout the country. As all members are aware, yesterday afternoon the House of Representatives, by a vote of 278-67, rejected an adjournment resolution. Immediately following that vote, according to press accounts, the distinguished chairman of the Appropriations Committee, Mr. Livingston, sought recognition for the purpose of attempting to bring up a clean disaster assistance supplemental appropriation bill intended to provide sufficient and necessary assistance for a number of programs to ensure that there will be no delay in getting assistance to the victims of these natural disasters. As I understand it, the total amount of that proposal was approximately $1 billion. Had the House taken it up and passed this interim disaster assistance bill, I am certain the Senate could have done the same and the President had indicated that he would have signed it.”