Joe Crowley: “I thank the gentleman from New Jersey. I have never, in my 14 years, spoken from this side of the aisle. I do it today…”

“I thank the gentleman from New Jersey. I have never, in my 14 years, spoken from this side of the aisle. I do it today, not as a gimmick, but as part of my plea to my Republican colleagues, to all of us, not to act as Democrats and Republicans. People are suffering throughout the Northeast. They continue to do so. The Frelinghuysen amendment is one that will give assurance to the people of the Quad-State region that the Federal Government will be there with them throughout this crisis, that they will be there. When everyone else has forgotten, the Federal Government will be there. The level of devastation is enormous. And as I said before, the level of psychological damage is enormous, and we only know the tip of the iceberg. We don't know yet what will come. This amendment will give peace of mind to Americans who are suffering today. Americans just like all of us here today are suffering, and they are looking to their Congress, not red, not blue, not Democrat, not Republican, just Americans helping Americans. That's what this amendment and this bill is all about. I thank the gentleman from New Jersey for yielding me this minute.”