Deborah Koff Ross

I believe as members of the House we have a responsibility to make sure the taxpayer is protected.

Are we going to be able to have affordable mortgages under this particular type? And if not, I would like to know that, but if so, why would you say so?

If there is more availability would there not be more affordability?

Imagine what it is like for Freddie and Fannie?

Rather than say go forth and God bless, it is the duty of this body and the House of Representatives and, in particular, this committee to say, in the words of Lee Corso, 'Hold on, not so fast.'

A hundred and fifty thousand properties that did not have flood insurance, so what impact does that have?

I thank the chairman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the 21st Century Flood Reform Act, which would give communities in the Tampa Bay area and all of our constituents a National Flood Insurance Program that serves as a…

I am proud to rise in support of the rule and the underlying bill, H.R. 2874. Homeowners deserve choice; they deserve competition; and, above all, they need to know the true risk their homes face from floods, the most costly of all natural…

if the U.S. is going to be a partner to succeed in a Mideast peace that we should then show some strength.

I guess one of them that concerns me the most was the second point about the fragility of the peace negotiations going on in the Mideast and how this may disrupt it.

I would suggest that that would be the way we would go about doing this.

And if we are going to negotiate, should we not negotiate from a position of strength?

I guess my point is that here we are arguing over what I think are baseless arguments to not move the embassy.

Anybody who doesn't understand that doesn't understand reality.

If people have wild-eyed fantasies that they can achieve goals that there isn't a chance in hell of reaching, you are never going to go forward.

It was a catastrophic decision by the Obama administration.

Would you agree that any successful peace negotiation has to have the United States at the table?

And the reason we had to pay that is because unless we put 20 percent down and financed 80 percent, we had to have the guarantee in there just in case of a default.

The Federal Government's involvement in housing finance is predicated on the idea that it is not only helpful but it is also necessary.

That loan isn't a loan, it is an albatross. It is a moral hazard.

Let us recognize that a family may not be able to afford a home. The prices may be too high and the family's income may not rise with those prices.

I agree with Mr. Capuano. I think we all believe that there should be a solution here with a backstop.

First, people should be able to afford a place to live.

Key structural reforms must be implemented by Congress before a decision is made regarding the GSEs and capital retention and that Congress should decide the final resolution of the conservatorship.

Since 2008 we have seen a recovery from the housing market and we made changes, but yet what we have done in regard to the GSEs is essentially put a veneer over a chasm that exists that is going to probably implode again if we don't do…