[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 172 (Tuesday, January 1, 2013)]
[House]
[Pages H7560-H7561]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         HURRICANE SANDY RELIEF

  (Mr. HOYER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I have just been informed that we will be 
having perhaps no further votes in this Congress. I am deeply 
disappointed at that information.
  We have millions of our fellow citizens who have been badly damaged 
by a storm called Sandy. Overwhelmingly, the United States Senate 
passed some relief. I can't remember a time when we had a very serious 
storm, tornado, fire, or flood when we did not act. This Congress is 
apparently leaving town without responding to that emergency.
  There's not one of us, not one of us in this Congress that could not 
be in the same position. I live in a coastal State, but whether you 
live in the Midwest or the far west, whether you live in the South or 
the East or the North or the West, you could be and your citizens could 
be and your neighbors could be confronted by a natural disaster--or for 
that matter, a man-made disaster--and our fellow citizens would expect 
us to respond as the United States Senate has responded.
  It was my belief, an assurance was given to me--not 100 percent--and 
the gentleman who gave it to me did not make this decision, but I am 
deeply disappointed, Mr. Speaker.
  The people who have been damaged by Sandy, including Governor 
Christie, a Republican, and Governor Cuomo, a Democrat, should be 
deeply disappointed and, yes, angry that this Congress would adjourn 
without addressing the pain of our fellow citizens.
  I've been to New York. I've walked the beaches. I've seen the homes 
that have been destroyed, with my colleague Greg Meeks. I've talked to 
Nydia Velazquez. I've talked to other Members of Congress--Congressman 
Crowley, Congressman Pallone, Congressman Rothman--all of whom have had 
their citizens deeply damaged by the ravages of the, perhaps, storm of 
historical proportions that struck the Northeast. None of us is immune, 
not from a tornado or a flood or a fire.
  I deeply regret this. I can't change this opinion, but it's not what 
we ought to be doing. There are Republicans who are deeply grieved by 
this

[[Page H7561]]

action and there are Democrats on this floor deeply grieved by this 
action. This is not the right thing to do. I would hope it would be 
reconsidered.
  We have asked our Members to stay here, every one of them, knowing 
full well they wanted to go home just for a day to see their families.
  Mr. Speaker, I would hope this decision would be reconsidered. I 
would hope that we would say to those citizens: We're here for you, one 
country, one nation.

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