Political Quotes

“Mr. President, in the small business committee, we have been working on significant legislation that goes to disaster recovery, the Superstorm Sandy Relief and Disaster Loan Program Improvement Act. We are ready to move that legislation and pass it through the entire Senate. Since Hurricane Katrina devastated my State of Louisiana in 2005, I have fought to support disaster victims and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of our Nation's disaster relief and recovery efforts. I have continued this vital focus on disaster mitigation and recovery as Chairman of the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. I stand by my principle that when people are there for you, you will be there for them. Following my brief remarks, I will ask unanimous consent that the Senate pass H.R. 208, which has passed the House unanimously, with the Vitter amendment. With Superstorm Sandy, similar to after Katrina, we continued to see--and both the GAO and IG confirmed--significant shortcomings with the SBA's disaster loan programs, particularly application processing times and inaccurate information, which discouraged victims from applying for assistance. H.R. 208 reopens the SBA disaster loan program to those victims for one year, and also includes vital reforms and oversight to the SBA's disaster loan program. This bill does not cost anything as the funds have already been appropriated but sit unused.…”