On the recordOctober 4, 2011
I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring to the floor the continuing appropriations resolutions to keep the Federal Government operating until November 18, 2011, and to continue support for disaster relief projects. This version of the bill--which is virtually identical to the one the House voted on last week--funds the government at a rate of $1.043 trillion and provides $2.65 billion in fiscal year 2012 funding for the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other disaster aid programs. However, this bill no longer includes $1 billion in emergency fiscal year 2011 funding for FEMA and the Corps of Engineers nor the offset for those funds. The Senate dropped these provisions after the White House and FEMA suddenly--and, I might add, mysteriously--announced that these funds were no longer necessary. While in the short term FEMA says it can get by without the additional emergency funding, it's clear that the agency will soon need additional money to continue ongoing relief and recovery efforts from recent devastating natural disasters. I'm disappointed, Mr. Speaker, that the agency has apparently been playing games with the numbers, and my committee is closely examining why FEMA's estimates changed at the 11th hour. The committee also remains committed to providing the proper amount of emergency assistance that families and communities across the country rely upon. Mr.…
