Sheila Jackson Lee: “Everyone knows that we are in the grips of trying to overcome the devastation of the gulf and to help the people of that…”

“Everyone knows that we are in the grips of trying to overcome the devastation of the gulf and to help the people of that region. That is why I want to applaud the serious work that was done at the White House to establish the independent framework that I called for 2 weeks ago, which was to ensure that the impacted communities--restaurants, fishermen, shrimpers, oyster persons, and people with small restaurants and large restaurants--in the gulf region, from Florida to Texas, have the ability to secure the kind of compensation needed now to make their bills. This is not compensation for the injury as much as it is compensation to survive. For anyone to suggest that this was a shakedown is a misinterpretation and a distortion to the American people. What do they want the government to do? They want the government to be responsive, to make sure that we work on their behalf and to make sure that people whose lights are being turned off can pay their bills. Good news. We can now get claims and can help the people in the gulf region.”