Mary Landrieu

I encourage FEMA to extend temporary assistance to 120 days and eliminate that worry for families.

I ask for 30 seconds to complete my remarks. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms. Heitkamp). Without objection, it is so ordered.

Sequestration will lead to a number of deeply troubling and harmful impacts across critical Government programs.

The revenues coming into the Federal Government are the lowest level since President Eisenhower was the President.

We cannot rearrange the passengers on the Titanic and suggest that we are doing anybody a favor. We have to bring more revenues.

International travel is a driver of our economy, bringing jobs to America.

Offering up flexibility, which is what some of my colleagues are offering to deal with the sequester, is like giving the passengers of the Titanic an option after they hit the iceberg as to what level or deck they would like to relocate.

The Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship will meet on February 13, 2013, at 4:00 p.m. in room 432 of the Russell Senate Office building to conduct its organizational meeting. ____________________

It is vital that we treat our newfound wealth of natural gas in a fashion which protects the interests of states.

I regret having missed the January 24, 2013, vote on S. Res. 15, a resolution to improve procedures for the consideration of legislation and nominations in the Senate. Had I been present, I would have voted in favor of S. Res. 15…

Is it not the understanding of the Senator from Maryland that if the Lee amendment gets adopted--which I don't believe it will--the bill will be either killed or in serious danger of passing?

I thank the chairlady. Is it not the opinion of the Senator from Maryland that if the Lee amendment gets on this bill, it will, in fact, kill the Sandy supplemental? Isn't that the Senator's understanding of what will happen if the Lee…

The Senator is correct that this bill is full of reforms that he and I and others have worked on. But every one of these reforms has been agreed to on both sides of the aisle; this has not. The Senator could continue to work with us and…

There will be no recovery without small businesses recovering.

I do not think the Federal Government can do it all, but I do think the Federal Government can be a big supporter in this effort.

My eyes are going to be for the next year, with the help of this committee, and I think I have the support of both Republicans and Democrats on this, on the results of getting loans quickly into the hands of businesses or grants.

I hope these will come in handy this time around.

If the people do not have confidence that at least their local leaders have been given access to serious money, and $60 billion is a serious amount of money, they will lose hope.

As Chair of this committee and a Senator from one of the hardest hit States in recent years, I believe that one of the most important responsibilities of our committee is to ensure that the SBA be fully staffed, better prepared, and ready…

I believe that the sooner we pass the $6.4 billion supplemental, which provides absolutely essential mitigation, help for small businesses, homeowners, and most importantly, flexible community development disaster grants is absolutely…

It is very important to get these nonprofit organizations back up. They will become the leaders, of course, in the recovery.

I think all those days are behind us, I hope, and I hope we will hear testimony that the red tape has been eliminated, that we are not requiring survivors to produce multiple copies of tax records that, in many cases, were lost in the…

But I do think that the insurance is required, and very important, because this is really the Federal Government is helping to fill the gap, helping to step up and provide some funding quickly and in advance.

It is difficult to make decisions, particularly when you do not know what your neighbors are doing or what the business next door is doing, and people may need more time.

Do you agree that funding should be allocated to States and by States on the basis of damage and unmet disaster-related needs, and not based only on income level?