Alan B. Mollohan: “Mr. Speaker, the rule before us today is an open rule that allows all amendments provided for under the House rules to…”

“Mr. Speaker, the rule before us today is an open rule that allows all amendments provided for under the House rules to be offered. It also waives all points of order against provisions included in the committee-passed bill. Of particular importance and interest, it waives points of order against a provision offered in full committee by the gentleman from Texas (Mr. DeLay). This provision would provide $1.3 billion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency designated as emergency funding. We all know about the disaster that Tropical Storm Allison brought to Texas and the Gulf Coast. Other States, Mr. Speaker, have also recently experienced federally declared disasters. My own State of West Virginia is struggling to recover from recent flooding. Twenty-two counties have been included in the Federal disaster declaration and a recent estimate for West Virginia has placed the damage cost in excess of $175 million. We know that the storm season is just beginning, and FEMA has told us that they will need additional funding. We need to provide it to ensure that communities that suffer disasters are able to receive Federal assistance in a timely manner.”