On the recordSeptember 15, 2011
my State was devastated by Hurricane Irene, and I am going to do everything possible to help Vermonters get the aid they need. But I strongly oppose the amendment offered by the junior Senator from Kentucky. First, it is a terrible idea to cut critical national security programs to offset funding for emergency disasters. It would set a precedent and make it infinitely harder to help our States cope with these crises, whether it is Katrina or whether it is earthquakes or no matter what it is. Disasters strike unexpectedly. The funding to recover and rebuild is not built into the budget. They strike Republican and Democratic States alike. To say in this: Well, why don't we cut out our State Department or our embassies, so we cut out the aid the United States gives to Haiti--we live in a global economy--this amendment makes no sense. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from South Carolina.
