Cord Byrd: “In the dead of night, the leadership intervened in the conference to jam an additional $11.6 billion funding package…”

“In the dead of night, the leadership intervened in the conference to jam an additional $11.6 billion funding package onto that bill. The Senators who served on that conference committee didn't know what hit them. This disaster supplemental was never considered, debated, or voted on by the Senate. Senators never had a chance to examine or weigh in on this spending. Appropriations for disaster relief to address the problems resulting from the four recent hurricanes are undoubtedly required. However, there are extensive backlogs of unfunded needs resulting from earlier disasters that are not addressed at all in this relief package. This bill fails to provide the funds to address the $752 million backlog for 34 States in the emergency highway program or a $128 million backlog for 43 States in the USDA debris removal programs. In 43 States, the debris from past floods and other disasters has yet to be cleaned up. So, the next time a flood comes rolling down the valley, the water will have no place to go, making the damage even worse. What kind of a short-sighted policy is that?”