On the recordJanuary 15, 2013
I'll respond in 30 seconds, and then I'd be delighted if you closed. Mr. Chairman, I'd like to again thank you and Chairman Frelinghuysen for your hard work on this bill. I would like to address all those who are not sure about how they're going to vote on this bill, and I would like to clarify the way this appropriation works. When you have huge disasters, transit systems, tunnels, thousands of homes that have to be repaired, you need that money committed before you can engage any contractor, any builder in a contract. Now, as you and I know, Mr. Chairman, we've worked a long time on that committee, and before a dollar goes out, the person has to be responsible for every dollar that is committed that they've spent and that they're going to spend. So we're not just writing an open check. We're just not opening our checkbook. We're responding to these tremendous needs, and I do hope we can get a bipartisan vote for this effort. I yield back the balance of my time.
