[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 158 (Tuesday, November 4, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2208]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             H.R. 3407 AND SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS BILL

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                            HON. BARBARA LEE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 4, 2003

  Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, my deepest sympathies go out to the 
Californians who are suffering in the devastating wake of the fires 
currently raging in the Southern part of my home state. I want to be 
clear: I unequivocally support the federal disaster assistance that 
California and Californians will require to rebuild in the aftermath of 
the tragic fires. That is why I am an original cosponsor of H.R. 3407, 
the California Funding for Immediate Relief of Wildfire Emergencies 
Act, which provides an emergency appropriation to FEMA of $500 million 
for disaster relief associated with the fires.
  What I am opposed to, however, is the shameful, politically motivated 
decision to include the $500 million in FEMA funding in a bill that 
deals with the most serious question of war. Mr. Speaker, I cannot, and 
will not vote for almost $87 billion to fund the Bush Administration's 
continuing war in Iraq, and just as I voted against the original 
Supplemental Appropriations bill, I will vote against this conference 
report.

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