Political Quotes

“Mr. President, there are 233 people dead--102 in North Carolina, 7 still unaccounted for; the total damage estimated to be between $30 and $48 billion across seven States; in North Carolina, 1,400 landslides, 6,000 miles of road damage. One million-plus houses and businesses lost utilities. Some municipalities, like Asheville, like I said earlier, may not have drinkable water. This is a major urban center in western North Carolina that may not have drinkable water for tens of thousands of people before the end of August. That includes businesses that are struggling right now--think restaurants. Struck during the peak of western North Carolina's season, the majority of our revenue occurs in western North Carolina, starting in October and ending in November. We have lost that. They are gone. A lot of these people lost loved ones who have businesses. Now they are just trying to keep their businesses afloat while they are going to funerals. And we tell them: Well, we have just got to wait for Congress before we can send you a check, because for the first time in this body we are going to demand a pay-for for disaster recovery. Down about where the pages are sitting, a few months ago, Brian Schatz came to me--he is a Senator from Hawaii--and he said: Thom, I hope you will support me on the supplemental for the fires in Maui.…”