[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 132 (Monday, September 30, 2013)]
[House]
[Pages H6016-H6019]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
AUTHORIZING FUNDS FOR EMERGENCY RELIEF PROJECTS
Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill
(H.R. 3174) to authorize the Secretary of Transportation to obligate
funds for emergency relief projects arising from damage caused by
severe weather events in 2013, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 3174
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. EMERGENCY RELIEF PROJECTS.
The Secretary of Transportation may obligate any funds made
available to implement section 125 of title 23, United States
Code, for emergency relief projects arising from damage
caused by severe weather events in 2013, without any
limitation on obligations for such projects resulting from a
single natural disaster or a single catastrophic failure in a
State.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Wisconsin (Mr. Petri) and the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia
(Ms. Norton) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Wisconsin.
General Leave
Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous material on the bill before us.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Wisconsin?
There was no objection.
Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
H.R. 3174 is a bill with a clear and simple goal. This legislation
allows the Department of Transportation to obligate previously
authorized and appropriated funds for emergency relief projects without
limitation to the amount a State can receive for a particular severe
weather event. This bill does not increase spending and only applies to
funds that have been previously authorized or appropriated.
This bill is consistent with the authorizing language in MAP-21,
which we passed with bipartisan support last summer. MAP-21 does not
limit how much a State can receive from the emergency relief program
for a particular severe weather event.
This bill restores the flexibility provided in MAP-21 to the
Department of Transportation to determine how funds that have already
been authorized and appropriated should be spent. This bill has
bipartisan support.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I rise in support of H.R. 3174. This legislation would lift the cap
on the Federal Highway Administration emergency relief program funds
that occur in 2013.
Earlier this month, Colorado experienced historic storms that
resulted in severe flooding, landslides, and mudslides. As a result of
these severe storms, more than 50 bridges have been damaged or
destroyed and over 200 miles of roads in Colorado have been affected by
the flooding.
Initial estimates by the Colorado Department of Transportation are
that damage to roads and bridges as a result of the storm could cost
between $430 million and $475 million.
To assist States in dealing with unexpected destruction of surface
transportation infrastructure because of natural disasters or
catastrophic failure caused by an external event, Congress created
FHWA's emergency relief program. This program provides funding to
States to make emergency repairs and restore Federal-aid highway
facilities to pre-disaster conditions.
While the ER program receives $100 million annually from the highway
trust fund, demand for funding from this program usually exceeds this
amount and requires supplemental appropriations from general revenues
to address the backlog of funding requests from States.
Earlier this year, Congress appropriated $2 billion for the ER
program in the Hurricane Sandy relief legislation. This $2 billion
appropriation was intended to address rebuilding highways in the wake
of Hurricane Sandy, as well as other natural disasters across the
Nation.
Mr. Speaker, I would note that the House had a vigorous debate about
Hurricane Sandy during that relief bill's consideration, with many of
my friends on the other side of the aisle actually opposing the bill,
including the sponsor of the legislation we are debating today.
Thankfully, a majority of the House stood with our colleagues from
States that suffered the incredible destruction as a result of
Hurricane Sandy.
I would urge that we stand with our colleagues from Colorado today
with the hope that prior opponents of such relief will see how
important it is when it affects their own home State to understand that
we are all in this together in this country when it comes to natural
and catastrophic disasters.
{time} 1030
Of the $2 billion provided by that legislation for highway ER
projects as a result of Hurricane Sandy and other disasters,
approximately $550 million remains available.
In addition to providing additional funding for the ER program, the
legislation also restricted the amount that a State could receive of
these funds to no more than $100 million per incident, with a separate
cap provided for highway repair funds for States affected by Hurricane
Sandy.
To address the concern that Colorado could not be fully reimbursed
for the
[[Page H6017]]
cost of restoring its infrastructure, which could cost more than $400
million, in a timely manner, H.R. 3174 eliminates the $100 million cap
on ER funds made available in the Hurricane Sandy Relief Act for all
disasters that occur in 2013.
This bill is consistent with changes to the ER program made in the
most recent Surface Transportation Authorization Act, the Moving Ahead
for Progress in the 21st Century Act, or MAP-21, which also eliminated
the historical $100 million cap.
Mr. Speaker, no State can plan for the type of destruction Colorado
is dealing with as a result of the severe storms and flooding. That is
why the ER program was created. That is why this House passed the
Hurricane Sandy Relief Act and made additional highway repair funds
available to all States that have suffered such natural disasters.
Mr. Speaker, I strongly urge my colleagues to join me in supporting
H.R. 3174. Let us ensure that Colorado has the support and resources
that it needs to rebuild its surface transportation infrastructure.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the
gentleman from Colorado, Representative Gardner.
Mr. GARDNER. I thank the gentleman from Wisconsin and appreciate his
leadership on this important matter as we try to bring relief to the
people of Colorado who have suffered as a result of the floods that
began on September 11.
I also thank the gentlelady from the District of Columbia for her
leadership on this issue as well and for her support of the underlying
measure.
Thanks to Chairman Shuster and the Appropriations Committee as well,
Chairman Rogers, for supporting and making sure that this legislation
moves to the floor as expeditiously as it has.
To the gentlelady from the District of Columbia, I would note that I
voted for the $17 billion Hal Rogers amendment on Sandy, making sure
that we had emergency funding through FEMA for all victims of that
atrocious storm and disaster. But I also tried to make sure that we had
funding for another disaster that had happened in Colorado and the
western United States, dealing with wildfires and forest fires.
In fact, I tried to amend the legislation with disaster assistance
for Colorado that was rejected and was not allowed to go into the bill,
and ultimately, I made a decision based on the fact that we were
treating disasters differently. But it's important to know that we do
come together for disaster assistance, to make sure that we take care
of people who have been harmed around this country.
On September 11, just a couple weeks ago, a flood began that
destroyed nearly 2,000 homes and damaged over 17,000 homes. Early
reports indicate that almost 25 percent of the buildings at the
University of Colorado received some kind of damage.
I have toured with other members of the Colorado congressional
delegation--Mr. Perlmutter, Mr. Coffman, Mr. Polis, our two Senators,
Senator Mark Udall and Senator Bennett, as well as Governor
Hickenlooper--as we have witnessed firsthand, both on the ground and
from the air, the devastation that has taken place.
And for people who are rebuilding lives and rebuilding homes or
rebuilding businesses that were lost, today this body takes a great
step forward in providing at least one key component of certainty. And
that certainty comes into those thoroughfares that allow them to get to
and from school, to and from work, and farmers to get their goods to
market.
Our transportation system was dramatically impacted by the floods.
There were 200 line miles of highway affected. It's as if somebody had
made a sand castle, built it, and a wave came and washed it away, a
crumpled-up piece of paper, destroying hundreds of miles of Colorado
highway. Fifty bridges were wiped out.
The Colorado Department of Transportation initially estimated that
between $300 million and $500 million worth of damage was done to our
highway system and has now settled on a figure closer to $475 million.
I commend the Federal Highway Administration, who swiftly released $35
million to help with the cost of the most immediate repairs; but there
must be more that is done.
And so, Mr. Speaker, I thank this body for its support of H.R. 3174,
legislation that, with a ``yes'' vote, will not automatically lift the
cap for other States that experience severe weather events, but allows
the Secretary of Transportation to make that determination.
As the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Petri) noted, this is not a new
appropriation. There is no new spending, but it gives flexibility to
the Department of Transportation to make decisions that will help the
people who have suffered in Colorado.
And as I mentioned, the cap was also raised to $500 million for
responses in other areas and other hurricanes--whether it's hurricanes,
floods, or other events this country will face. We have an opportunity
to help the people of Colorado, the people of this country get back on
their feet. And I appreciate the support that this body has given this
bill today.
Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to the
gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Perlmutter).
Mr. PERLMUTTER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from the
District of Columbia for yielding time to me so that I can speak about
the catastrophe that we had in Colorado 2\1/2\ weeks ago.
Some portions of our State received more rain in 3 days than we get
in a year and a half, and that amounted to tremendous flooding. Some
people say it's a 200-year flood; others say it's a 500-year flood. But
it damaged canyons, homes, businesses, roads up and down the front
range of Colorado.
So our delegation has come together. There is some controversy as to
the origins of this funding and whether or not the Republicans from
Colorado supported this assistance for highways. That's in the past. We
are together today because our State needs the assistance.
I rise to ask for quick passage of H.R. 3174, which will enable
Colorado to quickly begin the process of rebuilding our damaged
infrastructure. Almost 19,000 homes and businesses across Colorado were
damaged or destroyed. I had friends, neighbors, and family affected by
this storm.
I want to start by thanking our first responders--the police, the
firefighters, the Colorado National Guard, the United States Army, and
FEMA--for their heroic efforts to save lives. Individuals, volunteers,
charities, the State, local, and Federal governments responded as one
to help the people of the State of Colorado.
I witnessed firsthand, with Mr. Gardner, Mr. Polis, and our Senators
and Governor, the National Guard rescuing a stranded family. These men
and women, without a doubt, prevented these floods from taking more
lives.
The damage throughout the State is catastrophic and truly
unbelievable. I represent two counties of the nine that were declared
major disaster areas. Now that the waters have receded, it is time to
rebuild. At least 200 miles of State and Federal roads were damaged and
50 bridges were either damaged or destroyed by the floods; and that
doesn't include local, county, and city streets, roads, and bridges.
In total, the Colorado Department of Transportation is estimating the
damage to our State and Federal roads to be about $475 million. The
Denver Post reported:
The flooding that swept through Colorado is the biggest
catastrophe to ever strike the State's infrastructure.
Current law restricts funds from this account to $100 million per
State per incident. We know the damage to roads, bridges, and
infrastructure in our State will well exceed that $100 million. I'm
proud to be a cosponsor of H.R. 3174, with my friends in the Colorado
delegation, to make sure Colorado has the resources needed to rebuild.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
Ms. NORTON. I yield the gentleman an additional 1 minute.
Mr. PERLMUTTER. I thank the gentlewoman.
This bill does not cost a dollar. It simply allows the Secretary of
Transportation the flexibility needed for Colorado and other
communities impacted by severe weather events this year to rebuild our
roads and bridges.
I'm asking all my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 3174 and
help us in Colorado rebuild.
[[Page H6018]]
State of Colorado,
Office of the Governor,
Denver, CO, September 23, 2013.
Hon. John Boehner,
Speaker, House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Hon. Nancy Pelosi,
Minority Leader, House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Hon. Harry Reid,
Majority Leader, Senate,
Washington, DC.
Hon. Mitch McConnell,
Minority Leader, Senate,
Washington, DC.
Dear Speaker Boehner, Majority Leader Reid, Minority Leader
Pelosi, and Minority Leader McConnell: As you may know, this
month massive rains and heavy flooding left over a dozen
Colorado counties in devastation. With the rains, highways,
bridges, and culverts were washed away. As a result, even now
many communities still are cut off and isolated from the rest
of the state. Colorado is in dire need of help.
Communities across Colorado's Front Range and Eastern
Plains are starting to deal with aftermath of the flooding
and destruction. The affected counties include Boulder,
Adams, Larimer, Weld, Arapahoe, Broomfield, Clear Creek,
Denver, El Paso, Fremont, Jefferson, Logan, Morgan, Pueblo,
and Washington--an area so expansive, that it surpasses that
of Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, and Rhode Island combined.
Early analyses show that the flooding was so severe that it
may not occur again for 500 to 1,000 years.
Thousands of Colorado families are without homes, potable
water, or power. Before the state can fully restore essential
services to impacted towns and cities, and allow residents to
permanently return home, we must repair our devastated
highway system. Early estimates are that at least 50 bridges
will need significant repair--30 of which must be fully
replaced. Approximately 200 highway lane miles must be
reconstructed. Temporary crossing structures are needed in
the interim. And, today, numerous state highways and local
roads remain closed, cutting off primary, and in some cases
the only, access to Colorado cities and towns. Assessing the
damage to Colorado's highway system is underway. But early
assessments are that the damage will be several hundred
million dollars.
Under the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2013,
Public Law 113-2, the U.S. Federal Highways Administration
(FHWA) Emergency Relief Program (ERP), received over $2.02
billion to help states rebuild and repair damages to their
highways and bridges. In this bill, states impacted by
Hurricane Sandy could receive up to $500 million per disaster
in ERP funds; however, all remaining states--including
Colorado--were capped at $100 million per disaster.
Given the widespread devastation to our state highway
system, we are respectfully asking that Congress raise this
$100 million cap for Colorado as well. As the Colorado
congressional delegation stated in a letter to the House and
Senate Appropriations Committees, there are precedents for
waiving or raising this cap. For example, the $100 million
was waived in response to damage caused by Hurricanes Gustav
and Ike, and Hurricane Irene and the Missouri River basin
flooding. Recently, the cap was raised to $500 million for
those states devastated by Hurricane Sandy.
Based on Colorado's anticipated highway needs and the
precedents mentioned above, we ask that you raise this cap
for Colorado. Time and again, Congress has answered the call
to help communities during times of disaster and loss. The
September 2013 floods may prove to be the worst natural
disaster in the history of our state, and is likely the worst
we shall ever see in our lifetimes. Before we rebuild our
homes and businesses, we must rebuild our roads to reopen our
communities. On behalf of all Coloradans, please raise this
cap to $500 million, so that we may begin this process.
Sincerely,
John Hickenlooper,
Governor.
____
State of Colorado,
Department of Transportation,
Denver, CO, September 25, 2013.
Hon. John Boehner,
Speaker, House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Hon. Nancy Pelosi,
Minority Leader, House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Hon. Harry Reid,
Majority Leader, U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC.
Hon. Mitch McConnell,
Minority Leader, U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC.
Dear Speaker Boehner, Majority Leader Reid, Minority Leader
Pelosi, and Minority Leader McConnell: As you know, this week
Colorado begins the process of rebuilding. Over a dozen
Colorado counties were devastated due to record-setting rains
and heavy flooding. Today, thousands of our neighbors are
without homes, power, or drinking water. For us to begin the
rebuilding process, we must repair our roads, bridges, and
culverts that were swept away by the floodwaters. We need the
help of Congress to begin this process.
Multiple counties received over a foot of rain, which
turned to floodwater. Those floodwaters destroyed many
critical transportation connectors throughout our state. This
week, the waters are receding and the Colorado Department of
Transportation (CDOT) has begun to assess the damage. At this
time, we have identified a number of bridges in need of
significant repairs or replacement, and approximately 200
state highway lane miles that washed away. In the interim,
CDOT is working with the National Guard to restore access to
communities severed from the rest of the state. This includes
installing temporary crossing structures and gravel roads.
Although cost estimates will certainly change as we
continue to inspect our infrastructure, CDOT's early estimate
indicates that approximately $475 million is needed to
rebuild our highway system. This estimate includes materials,
maintenance, reconstruction, and contracting costs. Last
week, the Colorado Transportation Commission directed over
$100 million--CDOT's entire contingency funding line--to
begin reconnecting critical roadways and communities. The
Federal Highways Administration (FHWA) also acted swiftly to
release $35 million in emergency funds. While these
contributions provide critical initial repair funds, CDOT has
already secured 19 contractors and have dedicated the
advanced funding from the FHWA. It is clear that existing
resources are inadequate to fix highway damage of this
magnitude. Furthermore, CDOT's $475 million estimate does not
include costs to rebuild destroyed city and county roads that
are also eligible for FHWA emergency funds.
Approximately $1 billion is available from the FHWA
Emergency Relief Program. States rely on this program in
times of crisis and disaster to provide needed funding to
repair federal aid highways. Unfortunately, although adequate
funds are available, under the Disaster Relief Appropriations
Act of 2013, Colorado may receive no more than $100 million
in program relief. This is a significant hurdle for Colorado
as we anticipate damages to exceed this limit by four times
or more. In recent years, Congress raised the $100 million
cap for the most severe disasters. For example, the cap was
raised by Congress to $500 million for those states
devastated by Hurricane Sandy. And, for Hurricanes Gustav and
Ike, the cap was waived entirely for affected states. This
flood was of a magnitude that Colorado will likely never see
again and the total devastation will easily surpass several
billion dollars. For this reason, we urgently need help from
Congress.
I join Governor John Hickenlooper and the Colorado
congressional delegation in asking for your leadership in
raising the program limit to $500 million for Colorado.
Before Coloradans can begin rebuilding their homes and lives,
we must rebuild the roads to their communities. Increasing
this cap swiftly is of the utmost importance so that we may
restore Colorado's transportation network. Please contact
Kurt Morrison or me should you have questions. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Donald E. Hunt,
Executive Director.
Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the
gentleman from Colorado, Representative Coffman.
(Mr. COFFMAN of Colorado asked and was given permission to revise and
extend his remarks.)
Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Wisconsin for
his leadership, as well as our own Congressman Cory Gardner from the
State of Colorado whose district was very significantly impacted by
this.
I had the opportunity last Monday to go up with the Vice President,
the Governor of the State of Colorado, Congressman Jared Polis, and
Congressman Cory Gardner, whose districts were both severely impacted
by the flooding, to see that damage. And it was extraordinary how
much--certainly the houses were lost, and we mourn for the people that
were lost--but the road damage was extraordinary. There were miles and
miles of roads that we saw with whole sections missing.
So this legislation, H.R. 3174, is vital to the State of Colorado to
get those roads back to where they're usable and so that, in fact, our
residents in those affected areas can get to and from their homes and
their businesses.
Ms. NORTON. I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Colorado (Ms.
DeGette).
Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlelady for yielding.
As you can tell, not just from what everybody from our congressional
delegation has said but also from the many, many news reports that
we've seen in the last week, this flood really was one of the worst
floods in Colorado's history.
I'm a fourth-generation Coloradan, and I remember some of the
previous floods: the flood in 1965 when I was a little girl. In the
terrible Platte River flood that flooded Cherry Creek and the Platte,
my home was right by there, and we had flood damage. And then, of
course, the tragic Big Thompson flood where many, many people
[[Page H6019]]
were killed. This is what happens to us in the West sometimes.
Colorado's recent flood is so dramatic that it really was a 500-year
flood, or worse. And we feel terrible for the eight Coloradans who have
died. Many are still unaccounted for, and we pray for all of them that
they may be safe and that their homes may be preserved by the time the
snow flies, which is any minute now.
On September 15, President Obama issued a major disaster declaration
for Colorado, ordering Federal aid to supplement State and local
recovery efforts.
You just cannot overstate the scope of this damage. As you heard from
the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Perlmutter), Mr. Gardner's and Mr.
Polis' congressional districts were severely impacted by this; but all
the rest of us were severely impacted in our districts, too.
Boulder had over 16 inches of rain in the course of 5 days.
Communities in El Paso, Fremont, Jefferson, Logan, Morgan, Pueblo,
Washington, Adams, Larimer, Weld, Arapahoe, Broomfield, Clear Creek,
and Denver were all impacted by this. It really was a State issue.
Residents have lost their homes. Businesses have been devastated.
Communities have been destroyed. Our friends, relatives, and neighbors
still are without power. Many of them can't drink their water.
{time} 1045
And as you've heard from all of my colleagues, the devastation goes
everywhere, from mountain highways to agricultural properties on the
plains.
Over 50 bridges have been damaged or destroyed, and over 200 miles of
Colorado roads have been impacted by the flooding. In the mountain
areas, what happens is the roads go along the creeks; so when the
creeks turn into raging rivers from this terrible rainfall, then the
roads are completely wiped out and the mountain communities are
isolated.
As you've heard from my colleagues, the funds for the Emergency
Relief program under the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2013 are
restricted to $100 million per State per incident, unless the funds are
being used to repair damage caused by Hurricane Sandy.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
Ms. NORTON. I'm pleased to yield an additional 1 minute to the
gentlewoman from Colorado.
Ms. DeGETTE. If we remove the cap on the Federal Highway
Administration Emergency Relief funds, Colorado can get the assistance
and relief we need to rebuild. And since this does not authorize new
appropriations, is not an earmark, the budget score is zero.
So I really respectfully request that we all come together and vote
for this legislation. It's much needed.
And by the way, this is a good example, Mr. Speaker, of how, if
Congress really wants to put its mind together to work on something, we
can do it in a civil and efficient and speedy way. This is a thought we
should keep in mind as the week progresses in front of us.
Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the
gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Lamborn).
Mr. LAMBORN. I appreciate the recognition.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of a bill introduced by my
Colorado colleague, Cory Gardner, to help Colorado rebuild from the
floods that have ravaged our State in recent weeks.
The flooding damaged at least 17,000 homes and other structures,
several thousand of which were destroyed outright. Millions of dollars
of public infrastructure have been washed away. Specifically, over 200
miles of Colorado roads, and at least 50 bridges, have been damaged or
destroyed. The floods consumed an area of Colorado that is twice the
size of Rhode Island.
Currently, the law caps emergency funding for highways and bridges at
$100 million per State. According to a preliminary estimate from the
Colorado Department of Transportation, the cost to rebuild our State's
roads and bridges is several times that amount.
We are not asking Congress to appropriate any additional funds. We
are simply asking that we be able to access money that Congress has
already appropriated for reconstruction after a natural disaster. This
legislation has a Congressional Budget Office score of zero, meaning it
does not add a dime to our national debt.
The flooding was worse in the northern part of the State, but there
were heavy rains and flooding even in the southern part of the State,
which I represent, and two people, unfortunately, were swept away and
lost their lives.
I do thank my colleagues for their consideration of this bill to help
the great State of Colorado to rebuild.
Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, this House should be proud to stand with
Colorado. Anyone who saw the State seeming to be washed away and floods
the likes of which I've never seen in my life would have her heart go
out to the residents of the State.
Mr. Speaker, also I know that last week there was a United Nations
report that found that, when they surveyed scientists from throughout
the world, there was a 95 percent agreement, a 95 percent certainty
that climate change is having its effects right now. That is a very
high percentage for scientists to give to any issue. We know that a
combination of factors produced these thousand-year floods, whatever
you want to attach to them, in Colorado. But they certainly were aided
and abetted by climate changes.
This House needs to take climate change seriously. As difficult as it
is, we're going to see more and more catastrophes like this and, as
usual, they will be in places we never expected them. In places where
there are not tornados, we will see tornados. In places where there
have not been floods, that is what we have seen in just the last few
years.
So I certainly am pleased, and I'm sure every Member of this House
will be pleased, to stand with the residents of Colorado as they try to
recover from this flood which has devastated so many of their citizens.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I encourage all Members to support this bill,
and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3174 makes funds already
appropriated to the Emergency Highway Relief program available for
response to the devastating floods in Colorado this summer. Critically,
the bill accomplishes this without providing additional budget
authority on net, or increasing the deficit over 10 years.
Under our budget rules, discretionary appropriations that the
Congress designates as an emergency are not subject to budget limits
and do not have to be offset with other spending reductions. To ensure
emergency appropriations are only devoted to emergency requirements,
our budget rules do not allow emergency funds to be used as an offset
for non-emergency purposes. If this were allowed, it would provide a
backdoor means of allowing funds for non-emergency purposes to escape
budget limits.
This legislation is attempting to make available funding for flooding
in Colorado using funds already appropriated and designated as an
emergency by Congress. However, this bill is not an appropriations
measure. From a budget scorekeeping standpoint the effect of the bill
is to decrease emergency discretionary budget authority and increase
non-emergency mandatory budget authority. If this bill instead amended
the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2013 (P.L. 113-2) and
designated the funding for Colorado floods as an emergency, then the
purposes of this bill would be accomplished without any scored increase
in budget authority. Because there is no effective process for
designating mandatory spending as an emergency, the non-emergency
mandatory budget authority increase in this bill cannot be offset by
the decrease in emergency discretionary budget authority.
In the end, this bill intends to meet new emergency needs making use
of existing emergency funds. For that reason, I am going to support
this legislation. However, I do not view this as a precedent and will
not view a reduction in emergency spending as an appropriate offset for
non-emergency funding.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Petri) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 3174.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________