Political Quotes

“the Appropriations Committee staff was working until midnight last night, as they do so often, on the disaster supplement. We know that in January the House sent us a disaster supplemental appropriations bill to help communities across the Nation. These communities were dealing with the deadly aftermath of hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, and volcanoes. It has been my experience over the years that normally disaster bills sail through both Chambers of Congress. Every Member knows that one day it will be his State or her State that needs help recovering from a disaster. I well remember when we had a terrible hurricane in Vermont; it created the most damage in generations in our State. The day after the devastation, I went with our Governor and the head of our National Guard in a helicopter to survey the damage. For many towns, the only way we could reach them was in a helicopter. The bridges were like a child's toy, twisted and gone. The roads totally disappeared. Houses were upside down in the river. It was heartbreaking, but as we were going there, I received email after email. My Senate colleagues, many of them Republicans, said ``Vermont stood with us when we had''--and they named the disaster. ``We will stand with you.'' That is what we do. It doesn't make any difference whether you are a Republican or a Democrat; if there is a disaster, you stand together. What I cannot understand is that in my 44 years here--it was different this time.…”