Steny Hoyer: “I will obviously support this legislation in its present form. It is unfortunate that we did not do this some 60 to 70…”

“I will obviously support this legislation in its present form. It is unfortunate that we did not do this some 60 to 70 days ago. I rise to congratulate the gentleman from Wisconsin [Mr. Obey], to congratulate the President of the United States, who, once again, stood on principle and said that we need to act, but I am not going to act at the point of a gun, I am not going to condone that with which I do not agree. There was unanimity 84 days ago, the day after the President asked for this relief, that we ought to ask, ought to move, but those victims of rain and flood should have help. I want to congratulate the gentleman from Louisiana [Mr. Livingston], the chairman of the Committee on Appropriations and my good friend, and I want to congratulate as well my good friend, the gentleman from Florida [Mr. Young], the chairman of the Subcommittee on Defense Appropriation, and of course my good friend, the gentleman from Alabama [Mr. Callahan], is to be congratulated just on general principles.”