Political Quotes

“Madam Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today in opposition to H.R. 5687. While this bill is being sold as an appropriations bill for Puerto Rico, it has more than $16 billion in unnecessary tax breaks which are largely unrelated to the recent earthquakes that hit the island. Also included in this bill are more than $4 billion in new emergency appropriations, much of that for disasters that haven't happened yet. And finally, this bill is premature, as Puerto Rico has funds from previous bills that have not been used. Over the last 3 years, we have allocated more than $40 billion for Puerto Rico disasters, and less than half of that has been spent. And we have all seen recent press reports about warehouses in Puerto Rico full of water, diapers, and food that have not been distributed to residents in need. As for the recent earthquakes in Puerto Rico, the Federal Government has not completed the required studies and reporting on the extent of the damage. While I, too, have been frustrated with the amount of time it takes the Federal Government to distribute funds after a disaster, appropriating funds before we know what is truly needed is not the answer. There are billions in the FEMA Major Disaster Relief Fund that are already available and can be used toward earthquake response and recovery efforts now, while we wait on a full and accurate report on the damage and estimated cost.…”