David Obey: “I simply want to say that before this year is done, we are going to need a lot more supplemental funding than we have…”

“I simply want to say that before this year is done, we are going to need a lot more supplemental funding than we have before us in the bill that will be brought to the floor under this rule. There is no question we are going to need money for Iraq. I personally have doubts that the money being requested for FEMA is going to be sufficient, unless we get by with virtually a storm-free summer, and I would not expect that. And as the gentleman from Massachusetts has indicated, if we do not fund AmeriCorp, we are going to have thousands of people who have offered to give their services to their communities in various capacities who are going to get laid off. It is as simple as that. So if we want to ignore that fact, as we earlier today ignored the problem of children from families who get the earned income tax credit, if we want to follow that example and again turn our backs on them, the House has the power to do that. But it should not do that. That is why we are asking the House to vote against the previous question on the rule, so that we could amend the rule to provide for consideration of funding for AmeriCorp, as well as FEMA.”