Political Quotes

“I speak as the representative of the citizens of this country that have perhaps been hit the hardest by all of the natural disasters addressed in this bill. The bill before us represents some of the very best and some of the very worst inclinations of this body. Six days after the dikes broke in Grand Forks and the city was inundated, the chairman of the Committee on Appropriations was kind enough to add relief in the markup on this bill to respond to our situation. The very next day, the Speaker of the House gave up personal family time over the weekend to come and view the area. Two days after that the majority leader led a bipartisan delegation also to view the area and assess the damages. The very next week meaningful relief was added to the bill on the House floor, thanks to the work of the gentleman from South Dakota [Mr. Thune], another bipartisan effort. Then, just when it looked to the people of the country that Congress perhaps could act in a bipartisan way to meaningfully respond to a disaster, the games started and brought the whole effort to a screeching halt, leading up to the disgraceful exit of this body at Memorial Day recess without addressing the flood disaster. The bill before us still contains the political games that have slowed this effort and delayed relief to the people that need it, but I ask that it be enacted and sent to the White House.”