Nydia M. Velazquez: “the President asked the Republicans for a clean disaster relief bill 84 days ago, 84 days. Instead, they sent the…”

“the President asked the Republicans for a clean disaster relief bill 84 days ago, 84 days. Instead, they sent the President a bill that tells the government how to conduct the census. I ask my colleagues across the aisle, what does the census have to do with the disaster relief? The Democrats want to vote on a clean bill, but the Republicans will not let us. The Democrats want to help the people of the Midwest to rebuild their lives, but the Republicans will not let us. Mr. Speaker, the Republicans are playing politics with people's lives. They know that, if they pass a clean spending bill to help the flood victims, the President will sign it. But they will not do it. Mr. Speaker, this is wrong. How many times must we say it? People are suffering and we have got to help them. Give us a clean disaster relief bill.”