Sanford Bishop: “I stand before Members today to ask for their support for my amendment to the VA-HUD appropriations bill. My amendment…”

“I stand before Members today to ask for their support for my amendment to the VA-HUD appropriations bill. My amendment appropriates no additional funds. It only authorizes the use of existing funds for an important program. In substance, it authorizes the director of FEMA to establish a minority emergency preparedness demonstration program utilizing grants, contracts and agreements with community-based 501(c)3 nonprofit corporations. The program will allow the nonprofits to research the status of emergency preparedness in minority households in urban, rural and suburban communities and to enhance emergency and disaster response preparedness. It would authorize the director to provide grants or to execute contracts and cooperative agreements with eligible nonprofit corporations to establish and to conduct these programs. Mr. Chairman, in just this past year, 51 disasters were declared in 33 different States. In fact, this year already 23 disasters have already been declared in 22 different States.”