Lois Frankel: “I thank Mr. Johnson for yielding, and I also want to thank Chairmen Shuster and Barletta and Ranking Members DeFazio and…”

“I thank Mr. Johnson for yielding, and I also want to thank Chairmen Shuster and Barletta and Ranking Members DeFazio and Johnson for their continued support. I have had the honor of working on this legislation with my friends from Florida: Congressmen Dan Webster, Brian Mast, and Frederica Wilson. I have said this before and I am going to say it again: Florida knows hurricanes. In 2004 and 2005, Charley, Frances, Jeanne, Wilma, and Katrina tore through our State, leaving families stranded and property damaged. I was the mayor of the city of West Palm Beach when we saw trees crash to the ground, ripping power lines and blocking flooded streets. Water systems were compromised, and our local governments, around the clock, did a miraculous job cleaning debris, fixing broken infrastructure, and getting life back to normal. It takes a lot to get it done. When hurricanes strike, communities are ravaged, and so are their budgets. So I want to first thank FEMA for the funding assistance it provided Florida in a great time of need. With that said, FEMA is now asking some of our cities and counties to pay back money that was given for disaster relief projects that were approved more than 10 years ago. There is no question that FEMA should do a responsible audit and make sure that money is used properly. However, the process should not be an endless journey into the Federal bureaucracy.…”