Political Quotes

“I thank my colleagues, and while I am happy to support measures to improve resiliency in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, a committee on which I serve, I am disappointed that this bill is not inclusive of U.S. territories other than Puerto Rico in the normal operation of this new resiliency program. Under the Stafford Act, the Virgin Islands and all other U.S. territories and the District of Columbia are defined and treated as States. This legislative amendment to the Stafford Act should be no different. That is why the House version of this bill was amended in committee, so that this new program is equally inclusive of all jurisdictions that are already treated as States by the Stafford Act. That was not what was approved by the committee but passed by this House in H.R. 2, the Moving Forward Act. Madam Speaker, the Virgin Islands and the other smaller territories have been devastated by unprecedented natural disasters in recent years. All of these American jurisdictions have tremendous need for hazard mitigation projects that reduce risks for homeowners, businesses, nonprofits, the cost of insurance claims, and Federal relief payments from extreme weather-related disasters.…”