Political Quotes

“Like all of my colleagues, I come before you today very concerned about my fellow Americans whose lives were torn apart in October of 2012 due to the impact of Hurricane Sandy. Hurricane Sandy, like many natural disasters before it, has caused billions of dollars of damage and has upended the lives of thousands of Americans. Congress gathers here today to consider a very important question: Exactly what is the role of the Federal Government in rebuilding our communities following a natural disaster? Like many of my colleagues, I believe the Federal Government must be a strong partner in responding to natural disasters, but local communities must lead the way in making the important decisions. Only local communities have the firsthand knowledge to prioritize how precious resources should be spent following a natural disaster. While the Federal Government can and should be a partner, it must be just that--a partner. Madam Chair, the Federal Government currently plans ahead and budgets for natural disasters. We have an entire agency, FEMA, dedicated to managing these disasters. Perhaps Congress should have a more comprehensive discussion on how to better budget and prepare for natural disasters, but we can't use one hurricane as an excuse to fund or enhance programs that would normally go through the regular appropriations process. {time} 1750 Local communities and property owners impacted by Hurricane Sandy face tough choices.…”