Hal Rogers: “I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight to bring to the floor the continuing…”

“I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight to bring to the floor the continuing appropriations resolution to keep the Federal Government operating until November 18, 2011. Before you is a slightly amended version of the bill, which is necessary after last night's vote. I hope that my colleagues recognize the urgency of this situation and will join me in taking the responsible step and support this CR. This bill must pass if we're going to keep our word to the American people. We need to get help to Americans who need it most, those who have lost their homes and their businesses to the unforgiving natural disasters that have beset us. FEMA is rapidly burning through its emergency funding and its ability to help those people recover from the tornados, hurricanes, earthquakes, wildfires and other disasters. Right now, at this minute, FEMA has $200 million left in the coffer. They're spending at the rate of $30 million a day for disaster relief. And at this rate, of course, they will be out of money over the weekend. This infusion of funding--$1 billion in emergency fiscal year 2011 disaster funding and $2.65 billion for fiscal 2012--is critical. I can't stress that enough. And it will go far to relieve the burdens of those who are in need tonight. This version of the bill creates an additional offset to the fiscal year 2011 emergency funding.…”