[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 173 (Wednesday, January 2, 2013)]
[House]
[Page H7579]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                         HURRICANE SANDY RELIEF

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Tonko) for 2\1/2\ minutes.
  Mr. TONKO. Just yesterday, Americans celebrated New Year's Day. They 
ushered in 2013. As we rang in the new year, the usual message of hope 
that accompanies the new year--any new year--rang hollow for millions 
of Americans because of actions taken at the close of that New Year's 
Day here late last night. People were met with the devastating news 
that we were not going to take up a measure that would respond to 
Superstorm Sandy.
  And so I rise today to ask the leadership of this House, the people's 
House, to respond accordingly to the needs of people. I make this 
request not through some political calculus but rather through the lens 
of caring and concern and compassion, which ought to be the hallmark of 
this great institution. We ought not forget that the role that we play 
here calls upon our moral responsibility to engage our actions and our 
compassion and empathy for the people we represent or perhaps do not 
represent directly. Because we, I believe, need to relate to that 
measurement of compassion to family, friends, neighbors and yes, at 
times, total strangers.
  I make this request sensitized by a situation in my district, the 
21st Congressional District at the time, in upstate New York, just 
about a year-plus before the devastation of Sandy. The torturous 
treatment of Mother Nature through Irene and Lee on that congressional 
district, my congressional district, stole lives, wiped away livestock, 
flooded homes, tore away the hopes and dreams of individuals, and found 
people abandoned, having lost everything for which they ever worked. 
And I witnessed how people responded to that tragedy. They picked up 
and mustered the strength. But they required government to be their 
partner at that very dark moment in their lives. Having witnessed that 
pain, having visited communities and having talked with the people, 
shared tears with the people, I understand that now this situation, in 
a much more densely populated area of our State, and in neighboring 
States, requires our assistance, immediate assistance, to respond with 
compassion.
  Mr. Speaker, and leadership of this House, I implore you to respond 
with compassion and empathy and bring us to the floor to acknowledge 
and support the funding for Superstorm Sandy.

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