Sheila Jackson Lee: “I thank the gentlewoman from California for her unceasing--unceasing--commitment to the National Flood Insurance…”

“I thank the gentlewoman from California for her unceasing--unceasing--commitment to the National Flood Insurance Program. I can't thank her enough. I know that my colleagues and I are from different States, but how many have walked through gutted homes and seen families full of sorrow and tears? Hurricane Harvey was the singular largest flood next to, of course, Hurricane Michael. Mr. Speaker, 51 trillion gallons of water in 2017. How many have walked in Puerto Rico to see the devastation, as I have, or walked in the U.S. Virgin Islands and seen homes and hotels and places for home and for business devastated? The National Flood Insurance Program is a necessity. I wish this was a longer extension. But I have seen the desperation of those who have suffered. They need flood insurance. And those of us who have felt the pain of the fires in California driven by the Camp fire know that they need aid as well. {time} 1700 If you want to know a number, what about $1 trillion plus in the tax scam bill that was passed where my constituents say they have not seen one dime from the tax bill, and here we are going to be on the floor tomorrow with a tax extender. So I ask the question: Can we help desperate families by ensuring that this program goes for a week and that we can do better? Yes, we can do better. But let's stop the pain now with homes that are about to close.…”