I would in no way diminish the value of this hearing. I believe that it is an important hearing.

I would like to also, if I may, compliment Mr. Watt for his impeccable service, his stellar character.

I know what invidious discrimination is like.

In this report that I would add that the NAACP identifies problems with the system.

I did make the point earlier, but 50 percent of my entire budget is public safety, and 72 percent of my budget is personnel costs.

Yes, I was homeless.

I think if we do nothing else, I think those operation centers that we opened up where people went and made application for reimbursement, ask them what the biggest reasons were that they were turned down.

This is a Texas issue, it is not a Republican or a Democratic issue. I stand by that.

This really is a time for us to spend a lot of money on prevention.

$500 million in Ike relief is still unspent. Will Texas do better after Harvey?

$311 million spent to save billions makes a lot of sense.

I want to add my voice to those who are calling for Houston to receive direct funding.

I am grateful to you.

Block by Block continues, and as we get into our system of understanding the people and the process, we can make changes within our community.

It is very important that we understand that we cannot drop the neighbor by neighbor process because the hurricane is over.

NFIP has to be shored up, and that is a Congressional responsibility.

I would like to stay engaged in this process with the NAACP.

Now, you made commentary about the shelters that you opened, but I think you should say a bit more about those shelters because I was there to see you in those shelters helping people.

I condemn the snap elections by Maduro. These elections will not be free, fair, and transparent, and all they will do is cause more of a migration and force more and more people.

I think Mr. Trump ought to be scrutinized a bit closer and I hope that this legislation will help us do that.

Do you agree that when we have had an opportunity to test banks we have found that invidious discrimination exists in lending?

Do you agree that invidious discrimination still exists in the United States of America?

Quite frankly speaking, it hasn't been since slavery. That is the last time there was full employment for black people.

Record reservoir flooding was predicted even before Harvey hit Houston.

these are very different markets. Credit default swaps look to bonds, foreign exchange look to currencies, commodities, very different from interest rates, et cetera.