[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 2 (Wednesday, January 26, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: January 26, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                 REGARDING FEDERAL DISASTER ASSISTANCE

  (Mr. NUSSLE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. NUSSLE. Mr. Speaker, as a Representative from Iowa, we recognize 
what it's like to be devastated by natural disaster. This summer we 
experienced the floods, the great floods, the 500-year floods of 1993. 
Now it's California's turn.
  We need to provide and we must provide assistance to our fellow 
citizens in southern California. And I believe we as Federal 
Representatives of the taxpayers must also answer the questions--how 
much does it cost and where will we come up with the money to pay our 
bills.
  We can and must do both--provide and pay.
  I believe we need to support offsets for the assistance and we can do 
so in a very fiscally responsible way to the victims. I sent three 
letters to the Speaker of the House this year to reform the system of 
disaster assistance. Three letters that have yet to receive a reply. To 
set up a bipartisan task force. A task force to study the way we 
disastrously fund and deal with disasters in this country.
  I think it is time for action Mr. Speaker. I think it is time to 
reform our system. I think it is time to provide the assistance. And it 
is also time to pay.
  Mr. Speaker, I include for the Record the letters to which I 
referred.

                                     House of Representatives,

                                 Washington, DC, January 24, 1994.
     Hon. Thomas S. Foley,
     Speaker of the House, House of Representatives, Washington, 
         DC.
       Dear Mr. Speaker: Over the past six months, I have 
     contacted you twice to urge you appoint a bi-partisan 
     Leadership Task Force to examine the current procedures for 
     responding to disasters and to make recommendations for 
     responding to future disasters (my letters of July 27th and 
     October 14th are attached). You may recall Congressman Tim 
     Penny and I worked together last summer to identify spending 
     cuts to offset the cost of the disaster assistance provided 
     to the Midwest.
       At this time, I have not received a response to either of 
     my letters. Now, six months later, we are faced with another 
     disaster, this time in California.
       When Congress returns, one of the first items on the agenda 
     will most likely be providing disaster assistance for the 
     victims of the earthquakes that recently hit Southern 
     California--as well we should. For the reasons illustrated in 
     my previous correspondence, I urge you to consider my 
     recommendation to appoint a bi-partisan task force to examine 
     the issues related to disaster assistance. Additionally, I 
     would be interested in serving on the task force in any 
     capacity.
       Thank you again for your consideration of this matter.
           Sincerely,
                                                       Jim Nussle,
                                               Member of Congress.
                                  ____



                                     House of Representatives,

                                 Washington, DC, October 14, 1993.
     Hon. Tom Foley,
     Hon. Bob Michel,
     The Capitol, Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Speaker and Mr. Minority Leader: After the great 
     floods struck the Midwest this summer, I contacted you in 
     late July and urged you to appoint a bi-partisan Leadership 
     Task Force to examine the current procedures for responding 
     to disasters and to make recommendations for responding to 
     future disasters in a more timely, responsible and effective 
     manner.
       I am writing again to urge you to consider appointing a bi-
     partisan Leadership Task Force. Even though federal disaster 
     assistance was provided without delay to thousands of flood 
     victims, this summer's floods illustrate the weaknesses that 
     exist in our system for responding to natural disasters. That 
     is why I believe it is critical for such a task force to be 
     appointed so it can begin examining how Congress and the 
     federal government can best respond to such disasters--
     whether they be floods, hurricanes, droughts or earthquakes. 
     In fact, some of the issues that need to be of immediate 
     attention to the task force include reforming our flood 
     insurance and federal crop insurance programs.
       I am interested in knowing whether you have given any 
     consideration to forming such a task force or addressing how 
     our system can better respond to natural disasters.
       Thank you for your attention to this matter. Please do not 
     hesitate to contact me if I can be of any assistance.
           Sincerely,
                                                       Jim Nussle,
                                               Member of Congress.
                                  ____



                                     House of Representatives,

                                    Washington, DC, July 27, 1993.
     Hon. Tom Foley,
     Hon. Bob Michel,
     The Capitol, Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Speaker and Mr. Minority Leader: The entire nation 
     has witnessed the House of Representatives attempting, 
     through its normal legislative process, to respond to the 
     great disaster that has stricken the Midwest this summer. The 
     debate on this matter, while quite spirited at times, has 
     been very productive in illustrating the weaknesses that 
     exist in our system of responding to natural disasters and 
     national emergencies such as the flooding in the Midwest. 
     While the system cannot be overhauled and reformed quickly 
     enough to affect our relief efforts for this year's floods, I 
     believe the House of Representatives must act quickly on this 
     issue.
       I have witnessed first-hand the damage of the floods that 
     have ravaged through the Midwest this summer, any my district 
     has been greatly affected by these floods. While I believe 
     that the Congress must respond to a disaster of this 
     magnitude in a timely manner, many Representatives have 
     respectively disagreed on the manner in which the Congress 
     accomplishes this task.
       I believe the events of the past several days are a strong 
     testimony to the need for Congress to evaluate its practices 
     and procedures for responding to natural disasters and 
     emergencies. Accordingly, I urge you to appoint a bi-partisan 
     Leadership Task Force to examine the current procedures for 
     responding to disasters and to make recommendations for 
     responding to future disasters in a more timely, responsible 
     and effective manner.
       I believe the Leadership's Task Force can help the House of 
     Representatives avoid potential disagreements over disaster 
     relief, such as those between regions of the country and 
     those over how to pay for disaster assistance. Moreover, the 
     formation of this task force is not intended to replace any 
     of the efforts to respond to the floods in the Midwest.
       While the Leadership's Task Force may not be able to help 
     the process in responding to the disaster in the Midwest, I 
     believe that the Leadership's Task Force should be given a 
     deadline for reporting back to the House of Representatives. 
     This will hopefully allow us to respond to the next natural 
     disaster in a more timely, responsible and effective manner.
       Finally, I believe my experience in coping with this 
     disaster will be very valuable to such a task force, and I am 
     interested in taking a leadership role in this effort. While 
     the size of the Leadership's Task Force can be determined at 
     a later time, I believe it should be comprised of an equal 
     number of Representatives from both parties.
       Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward 
     to working with you on this important project.
           Sincerely,
                                                       Jim Nussle,
                                               Member of Congress.

                              {time}  1410

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Illinois [Mrs. Collins] is recognized for 5 minutes.

  [Mrs. COLLINS of Illinois addressed the House. Her remarks will 
appear hereafter in the Extensions of Remarks.]

                          ____________________