[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 82 (Thursday, June 12, 1997)]
[House]
[Pages H3723-H3724]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS

  (Ms. DeLAURO asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)

[[Page H3724]]

  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, the President asked Congress for disaster 
relief funding 85 days ago, nearly 3 months. American families are 
suffering. Why has Congress failed to provide urgently needed disaster 
assistance? It is because the Republican leadership chose the disaster 
relief bill as their vehicle to extract political concessions from the 
President.
  Newspaper accounts in the last several days have said that the 
gentleman from Georgia [Mr. Gingrich], who appeared here this morning, 
never expected the President to sign the bill by adding the provisions. 
They were done in order to embarrass the President, the same Speaker 
who brought us two Government shutdowns.
  The Republican leadership has blocked $5.6 billion for disaster 
victims in 33 States, $1.9 billion for U.S. military operations in 
Bosnia and elsewhere. People are hurting and they need our help.
  Congressional Democrats held vigil on Tuesday night to send a simple 
message: We are willing to work around the clock to get the job done. I 
applaud those Republicans who are finally saying, enough is enough, 
forget the political games, let us get disaster assistance to those in 
this country who need it.

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