[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 9]
[House]
[Pages 12928-12935]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




         MAKING SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR DISASTER RELIEF

  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree 
to the resolution (H. Res. 502) providing for the concurrence by the 
House in the Senate amendments to H.R. 601, with an amendment.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 502

       Resolved, That upon the adoption of this resolution the 
     House shall be considered to have taken from the Speaker's 
     table the bill, H.R. 601, with the Senate amendments thereto, 
     and to have--
       (1) concurred in the Senate amendments numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, 
     5, 7, and 8; and
       (2) concurred in the Senate amendment numbered 6 with the 
     following amendment:
       In lieu of the matter proposed to be inserted by Senate 
     amendment numbered 6, insert the following:
       ``(C) there is the greatest opportunity to reduce childhood 
     and adolescence exposure to or engagement in violent 
     extremism or extremist ideologies.''.

          DIVISION B--DISASTER RELIEF APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2017

        The following sums are appropriated, out of any money in 
     the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for disaster relief 
     for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2017, and for other 
     purposes, namely:

                    DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

                  Federal Emergency Management Agency

                          disaster relief fund

       For an additional amount for ``Disaster Relief Fund'' for 
     major disasters declared pursuant to the Robert T. Stafford 
     Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 
     et seq.), $7,400,000,000, to remain available until expended: 
     Provided, That such amount is designated by the Congress as 
     being for an emergency requirement pursuant to section 
     251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit 
     Control Act of 1985: Provided further, That the amount 
     designated under this heading as an emergency requirement 
     pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget 
     and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 shall be available 
     only if the President subsequently so designates such amount 
     and transmits such designation to the Congress.

                     SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

                     disaster loans program account

                     (including transfer of funds)

       For an additional amount for the ``Disaster Loans Program 
     Account'' for the cost of direct loans authorized by section 
     7(b) of the Small Business Act, $450,000,000, to remain 
     available until expended: Provided, That up to $225,000,000 
     may be transferred to and merged with ``Salaries and 
     Expenses'' for administrative expenses to carry out the 
     disaster loan program authorized by section 7(b) of the Small 
     Business Act: Provided further, That none of the funds 
     provided under this heading may be used for indirect 
     administrative expenses: Provided further, That the amount 
     provided under this heading is designated as an emergency 
     requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the 
     Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985: 
     Provided further, That the amount

[[Page 12929]]

     designated under this heading as an emergency requirement 
     pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget 
     and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 shall be available 
     only if the President subsequently so designates such amount 
     and transmits such designation to the Congress.
       This division may be cited as the ``Disaster Relief 
     Appropriations Act, 2017''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
Jersey (Mr. Frelinghuysen) and the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. 
Lowey) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey.


                             General Leave

  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. 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 H. Res. 502.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New Jersey?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present H. Res. 502, a resolution making 
emergency appropriations to allow the Federal Government to continue 
the vital response and recovery efforts that are helping the hundreds 
of thousands of victims of Hurricane Harvey.
  Our thoughts go out to all the people of Texas and Louisiana who are 
coping with the aftermath of this storm and its catastrophic flooding.
  As one of the Nation's greatest national disasters continues to 
unfold before our eyes, this Congress must ensure that our Federal 
Government is able to meet the short and long-term needs of disaster 
victims.
  I believe that every type of resource ought to be utilized to support 
rescue, relief, and recovery efforts. I want to reassure the people of 
Texas and Louisiana that we are there for them in their time of 
greatest need.
  The House Appropriations Committee has already approved a $1 billion 
reprogramming request for FEMA last week, which has allowed the agency 
to continue to meet the most immediate needs in the region.
  It has become clear that, in the face of a disaster of such 
magnitude, much more is needed to assist these states and local 
communities as they recover and rebuild.
  Last Friday, we received the administration's initial request for 
supplemental funding for Hurricane Harvey. We are grateful for the 
speed of this request, and, recognizing the urgency of the situation, 
we brought this resolution to the floor today.
  H. Res. 502 contains $7.4 billion for FEMA's Disaster Relief Fund, 
which will allow FEMA to continue its efforts related to Harvey as well 
as any additional disasters that may strike. H. Res. 502 also includes 
$450 million to support the Small Business Administration's disaster 
loan program that will help small businesses and homeowners come back 
from the disasters.
  Working closely with the Texas and Louisiana members, the 
Appropriations Committee has done its due diligence to guarantee that 
this funding will make best use of taxpayers' dollars.

                              {time}  1030

  I want to thank all of our Federal agencies, first responders from 
around the Nation, the thousands of volunteers who immediately 
responded, and all those who have been working tirelessly to make sure 
that we meet the needs of the people of Texas and Louisiana.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, the devastation in Texas and Louisiana from Hurricane 
Harvey warrants swift congressional action. I am pleased we are here 
today to ensure that FEMA can continue to support the States affected 
by this disaster.
  The $7.4 billion for FEMA and $450 million for the Small Business 
Administration in H. Res. 502 are only a first step in a long process 
that will require a long-term Federal presence.
  I represent areas, Mr. Speaker, affected by Superstorm Sandy and 
understand, firsthand, the need for Federal intervention when storms 
overwhelm State and local capacity. Following Sandy, the last 
administration requested and Congress approved funding for resiliency 
to ensure that future generations can mitigate the damage from storms 
that have grown in intensity.
  We can argue about the effects of climate change on storms, but we 
must all agree that our communities must receive much-needed mitigation 
funding to protect lives and livelihoods in future storms and to 
prevent more costly damage.
  Despite the fact that some of the Representatives for areas affected 
by Hurricane Harvey heavily criticized and voted against the assistance 
provided in the wake of Superstorm Sandy, I wholeheartedly support the 
funding in this resolution and expect a much larger request from the 
administration, including funding to mitigate damage from future 
storms.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to 
the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Carter), the chairman of the Homeland 
Security Appropriations Subcommittee.
  Mr. CARTER of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the 
supplemental funding for Hurricane Harvey relief. H. Res. 502 totals 
$7.85 billion in emergency funding, including $7.4 billion for FEMA's 
Disaster Relief Fund. This supplemental funding is a necessary first 
step toward assisting our communities in immediate need.
  However, rebuilding and recovering from the devastation of Hurricane 
Harvey will continue to require further resources and really hard work. 
I will continue to work closely alongside my colleagues in the Texas 
delegation, the Louisiana delegation, and the Appropriations Committee 
to meet the needs of our neighbors in the southeastern part of our 
State.
  My thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by this 
devastating storm.
  Colleagues, I encourage each and every one of you to vote for this. 
H. Res. 502 is focused on addressing the immediate needs of those 
affected by Hurricane Harvey. It sends them a powerful message: that we 
are here and we are here for them, and we will be working hard for them 
throughout this recovery.
  Just this morning, I saw another newsman standing waist-deep in water 
in Houston as it continues to recede. Let's cast our vote properly and 
start the recovery for the southeastern part of Texas and the western 
part of Louisiana.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Cuellar), a member of the Appropriations 
Committee.
  Mr. CUELLAR. Mr. Speaker, again, I want to thank the ranking member 
for yielding her time, for her leadership, and for all the work she has 
done, and also our chairman, Mr. Frelinghuysen, for his leadership, and 
Chairman John Carter, one of our Texans, for bringing this important 
resolution to the floor.
  This funding will help FEMA, which is running out of money, provide 
the immediate recovery and relief that we need in Texas and Louisiana. 
It is only a downpayment.
  Normally, in rain events, we measure water in inches; during 
Hurricane Harvey, we measured it in feet. At the end, there were over 
19 trillion gallons of water on the ground.
  Hurricane Harvey killed at least 60 people, including Alonso Guillen, 
a DREAMer who drove over 100 miles to help rescue by boat those who 
first responders couldn't reach.
  Those who were evacuated will soon come home to find their homes and 
their memories left behind in ruin by the floodwaters. The cost of the 
total damages will be in the billions. Many losses, however, will be 
priceless: pictures of family weddings, kids' soccer games, children's 
favorite toy, a daughter's prom dress, or an antique that has been 
passed through generations.
  Yet, many heroes stepped up to open up their homes, their churches, 
and

[[Page 12930]]

their businesses to house those evacuees. Those efforts highlight the 
fact that this is not a natural disaster, but it is a national 
disaster, and it requires a response.
  I quickly want to thank the first responders and others at the local, 
State, and Federal levels who bravely and selflessly provided 
assistance, including our friends to the south, Mexico, that are 
sending over trucks and trucks of assistance.
  Today, we stand together not as Democrats or Republicans, but as 
Americans. We speak in one voice, and we stand with Houston, east 
Texas, and Louisiana as we continue to do the rescue and the recovery.
  And as Hurricane Irma comes over to Florida and the Southeast, we, 
again, stand together as Americans, one team.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman 
from Texas (Mr. Arrington).
  Mr. ARRINGTON. Mr. Speaker, in light of this unprecedented natural 
disaster in Houston and Louisiana, along the Gulf Coast, I want to urge 
my colleagues to provide the resources necessary to help them recover. 
We need to move quickly and we need to move responsibly, and I just 
urge my colleagues to act, and act now.
  I am very proud of my fellow Texans for the way they have responded. 
I am proud of the leadership at the local level, at the State level, 
and I am proud, mostly, of the overwhelming, loving response of 
reaching out, neighbor helping neighbor, friends and folks in their 
community taking this responsibility head-on, not waiting on the 
Federal Government. We have a role, and the Federal Government ought to 
do all that we can to help those.
  Texas is a special place, Mr. Speaker. As you know, these folks are 
very self-reliant. They are committed to their communities, and they 
are committed to loving thy neighbor. It is not just a memory verse, it 
is a way of life in Texas.
  So, again, our thoughts and prayers are with our friends back home. I 
know my colleagues and neighbors in west Texas, in District 19, have 
sent first responder vehicles and personnel, food, and supplies. Dyess 
Air Force Base in Abilene, Texas, has sent, for example, 12 tons of 
supplies and food. So we are with you guys. We love you.
  As Trump said, ``Texans can handle anything.'' He is right.
  God bless Texas, and God bless America.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gene Green).
  Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank our ranking 
member not only for yielding to me, but also for her call a couple of 
weeks ago.
  And I want to thank our colleague from Lubbock, Texas. We have a lot 
of water we can send to west Texas, but appreciate the support not just 
from Texas, but all across the country. People are coming in 
everywhere.
  And I see me colleague, Brian Babin, who is my neighbor. We are not 
Democrats and Republicans; we are Americans. And that is what we are 
seeing. And our Speaker pro tempore of the House, also, is neighbor to 
both of us.
  But I rise in support of the hundreds of thousands of victims of 
Hurricane Harvey in Houston and Harris County and throughout Texas, and 
I call on Congress to immediately pass emergency funding to help 
victims from this unprecedented disaster.
  Our district is in northeast and southeast Houston and Harris County. 
We are familiar with hurricanes and tropical storms. We were hit by 
Tropical Storm Allison in 2001, hit by Hurricane Ike in 2008.
  Harvey's disaster and destruction is beyond anything witnessed in 
living memory in Texas, flooding over 100,000 homes in Harris County 
alone and killing at least 60 people, including 12 innocent victims in 
our district.
  Countless lives in Houston and along the Gulf Coast have been put on 
hold: families who cannot return to their flooded homes, children whose 
schools were damaged, mothers and fathers who cannot go back to work.
  I have a school district in northeast Harris County, Sheldon ISD. 
They have eight schools. Four of those schools are so damaged they 
can't be reopened.
  Houstonians and Texans are proud and independent people. We take 
pride in our can-do attitude, as witnessed by our brave first 
responders and countless volunteers who rescued neighbors during the 
worst of the flooding.
  I urge all my colleagues to vote for this critical emergency funding 
that will help the people of Houston and Texas on the road to recovery. 
But this is not the only time we will need this emergency funding.
  Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record an article in Monday's Houston 
Chronicle on the dedication of our doctors and public health workers at 
the Texas Medical Center in Houston during the worst of Harvey.

                      [From the Houston Chronicle]

           My 60-Hour Shift in the ER During Hurricane Harvey

                           (By Benjamin Gold)

       I was on call at St. Luke's when the major flooding began. 
     I decided to stay in the hospital, along with many other 
     residents, attendings, nurses and support staff.
       It turns out that a hospital is a fantastic place to be in 
     a crisis--it has food, water, electricity, even Wi-Fi. I 
     ended up staying there until Monday, taking shifts with other 
     residents as we watched over our patients. We even saw some 
     new ones who somehow managed to make their way through 
     floodwaters to the emergency room.
       Here are some of the things I saw during those 60 hours.
       I saw nurses working for almost 20 hours straight and 
     managing way more patients than usual, refusing to leave 
     them--they didn't know when the next nurses would arrive.
       I saw the cafeteria transformed into a support station with 
     round-the-clock free meals. The lunch tables transformed into 
     war rooms as the various medical departments strategized 
     about how to staff the hospital despite being desperately 
     under capacity. I got meals from the same cafeteria worker--
     Anne--on Friday night, Saturday morning, Saturday evening, 
     Sunday morning, Sunday evening and Monday morning.
       I saw patients placed in impossible circumstances. One, a 
     young man with a son in the ICU at Texas Children's, recently 
     heard that his house had flooded. He was having high fevers 
     and coughing up yellow sputum. His chest X-ray showed he had 
     developed a lobar pneumonia. He was pale and clammy, with 
     bloodshot eyes.
       ``Doc, I need go,'' he told me. ``I have to see my son. I 
     have to call my wife and make sure she's safe. I can't stay 
     here.''
       I was in the ICU when an impromptu meeting was held to 
     discuss the fact that no relief would be able to come in for 
     the foreseeable future. There were only two attendings, each 
     taking 12-hour shifts so the other could sleep. They'd 
     already been working for 48 hours.
       Midway through one of the shifts, one of the sleeping ICU 
     doctors woke up and asked the active doctor if he was OK.
       ``I'm cruising,'' he said, smiling. He was bleary-eyed and 
     weary, but it didn't matter. ``I'm rolling,'' he said and 
     gave a thumbs-up.
       ``I'm good to go.''
       My fiancee, who also is a doctor, told me that one of her 
     patients wanted to meet me after they found out that their 
     doctor had a significant other in the hospital.
       ``Sure,'' I said, and went over to the room. They were so 
     appreciative of her care that they invited us to go fishing 
     with them in Corpus Christi when this was all over. ``I'm 
     telling you, you've never seen a more beautiful place to fish 
     your entire life. You'll stay with us, of course! It won't 
     cost you a penny.''
       The man took out his iPhone and showed us pictures of a 
     gorgeous coastline, Texas-sized sunsets and smiling nephews 
     proudly holding up fish as big as they were. ``We'll make it 
     down there,'' he said. ``We'll get through this.''
       Finally, on Monday morning, the first wave of relief 
     arrived, and those whose houses hadn't flooded and had clear 
     streets were able to go home. Others weren't so lucky.
       The Texas Medical Center is what brought me to Houston. It 
     has more medical schools, hospitals and nursing facilities 
     per square foot than any other place on earth. It was 
     incredible to see the resiliency, camaraderie and 
     selflessness of those who work there in a crisis. Learning 
     about what to do in a crisis is standard in medical 
     education. But to see it in action, to see people refusing to 
     leave until they knew their patients would be cared for, is 
     something else entirely.
       It's been a grim few days, and the worst is not over. We 
     don't know how many more casualties there might be. Untold 
     billions in property damage has already been done. But 
     Houstonians showed their true colors over this past weekend. 
     I've never been prouder to be a Texan.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to 
the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Babin).
  Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to echo what everyone has said, 
especially my colleagues, Mr. Green and

[[Page 12931]]

others, from Texas who have mentioned how we have pulled together. But 
I want to rise in strong support of this disaster relief funding for 
those who have been impacted by this terrible storm.
  My district is in Texas 36, and it was totally devastated. All nine 
counties have been declared Federal disaster areas. The entire district 
was underwater, a vast lake, from Houston over to the Louisiana border. 
The devastation is truly heartbreaking.
  I have traveled to each county and assisted in the recovery efforts, 
and I have met with the victims. H. Res. 502 provides desperately 
needed resources to help our fellow Americans put their lives back 
together again and provides a hand up, not a handout. Texans don't want 
a handout, but we do need the help and the hand up.
  In the midst of this devastation, the entire world has seen the 
resiliency, compassion, and determination of the people of Texas, and I 
am truly inspired by the incredible stories of goodness.
  We have had multiple disasters, especially in my district--multiple--
even three disaster declarations for some of my counties over the past 
3 years. I have met and talked to some of my constituents who had just 
gotten back into their homes 2, 3 months ago from a flood that impacted 
us last year. One has told me she still had the price tags on their 
furniture when she woke up during the night to see water in her house. 
These are the kinds of things that we are seeing.
  But in the midst, as I have said, our churches, our first responders, 
our private citizens, businesses, people from out of State--and I want 
to especially commend the State of Louisiana, who came over and 
provided hundreds of boat teams for us--all around the district, people 
are helping one another.
  I just want to urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this very, 
very much-needed funding and showing our fellow Americans that we stand 
with them in this terrible, terrible time.
  I have been around a long time. I have seen storms--Hurricane Audrey 
in the 1950s--and this storm, Hurricane Harvey, I have never seen one 
like this before.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 3 minutes to the 
gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee), who we know was struggling 
with her fellow Texans and trying to be as helpful as she could during 
this horrible, horrible disaster.

                              {time}  1045

  Ms. JACKSON LEE. I thank the Speaker, and I thank the gentlewoman 
from New York. Having known the devastation of hurricanes just a couple 
of years ago, I thank her, and along with her as the ranking minority 
member, the chairman as well, both coming from the region where they 
faced the same devastation.
  We come together united. We come bipartisan. We come as friends. As I 
said at the NRG shelter just a few days ago, we have hope. We have 
hope. We are grateful that we are beginning the process of recovery 
with the over $7 billion now being allotted for disaster recovery, $450 
million of that being for small businesses. The need is great.
  Twelve days ago, on August 25, Hurricane Harvey hit this coast, and 
it hit Texas in a very hard way. To put in perspective the devastation 
brought by Hurricane Harvey, the volume of water that fell on Houston 
and other affected areas of Texas and Louisiana could fill more than 
24,000 Astrodomes. Hurricane Harvey was a thousand-year storm. It 
claimed many, many lives. Twenty-one trillion gallons of rainfall fell 
in Texas. Sustained winds exceeded 130 miles an hour.
  I cannot thank, enough, those who gathered and helped, from the local 
officials, from Mayor Sylvester Turner and Judge Emmett, to Mayor Aaron 
in Humble, to Mayor Diaz in Jacinto City--cities in my congressional 
district--to the many volunteers, the Cajun Navy. And might I thank the 
Texas National Guard--they were standing up--the Marines, the Navy, 
and, of course, the Army. We traveled with them. I thank the Military 
Museum of Armed Forces that traveled with me to give out food. We are 
still in need.
  Thousands of people without apartments who have been evicted have 
been told to go. As I walked the streets of Humble, Texas, in my 
district, piles and piles and piles of rubbish, people's homes and 
possessions, even though they had their family and lives, all of their 
possessions out on the front.
  This is a time for us to rise without obstacles. This is a time for 
us to ensure that all people can be protected. I would like to 
highlight the DREAMer that died, Alonso Guillen, who came all the way 
from Lufkin, Texas, just be able to save those who he saw were in need. 
We need to be able to ensure that he is not discriminated against or my 
constituents in certain parts of my district who are afraid to seek 
help simply because they are unstatused.
  My friends, I know we can find a pathway forward. I know that we can 
find a pathway to reauthorize DACA and to do it as soon as possible in 
tribute to Alonso Guillen, who died with friends when he brought his 
boat, of his own accord, to be able to come and save those.
  Let me tell you what we need. We need housing resources. We need to 
ensure that we have housing resources to make sure that the people who 
were evicted can make sure that they have a way to have a home. We need 
small business resources.
  I want to thank the gentlewoman for her time, and I know that we will 
be working together and making a difference for those who were impacted 
by Hurricane Harvey.
  My prayers for those who are impacted by Hurricane Irma.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3672, which provides $7.85 
billion in supplemental appropriations as the Congress's initial 
response to the massive damaged inflicted on Southeast Texas and 
Louisiana by Hurricane Harvey.
  The speed with which the bipartisan leadership drafted and shepherded 
this legislation to the floor bodes well for the major challenges that 
must be met and overcome if Congress if the victims of Hurricane Harvey 
are to recover from the storm's awful wrath and rebuild their decimated 
communities.
  I thank Chairman Frelinghuysen and Ranking Member Lowey, and Speaker 
Ryan and Democratic Leader Pelosi, for bringing this initial 
supplemental funding bill to the floor in a timely manner and which 
lets the people of Texas and Louisiana know that the American people 
stand in solidarity with them in their moment of heartbreak and 
anguish.
  Mr. Speaker, just 12 days, on August 25, 2017, Hurricane Harvey made 
landfall for the first time in the state of Texas, just north of the 
city of Corpus Christi.
  Before it was finished, Hurricane Harvey dropped 21 trillion gallons 
of rainfall on Texas and Louisiana, most of it on the Houston 
Metroplex.
  To put in perspective the devastation wrought by Hurricane Harvey, 
the volume of water that fell on Houston and other affected areas of 
Texas and Louisiana could fill more than 24,000 Astrodomes or supply 
the water for the raging Niagara Falls for 15 days.
  Whole sections of Houston, Beaumont, Bayou City, Port Arthur, and 
other cities were underwater for days.
  Hurricane Harvey was a 1,000 year storm that has to date claimed the 
lives of at least 30 persons, including a 34-year veteran of the 
Houston Police Department and a family of six who perished in Greens 
Bayou while trying to evacuate their flooded home and community.
  It also claimed the life of a Dreamer, Alonso Guillen, a young 
Houstonian who came to Texas from Mexico as a teenager, and who died 
when his boat capsized while he was rescuing survivors of the flooding 
caused by Hurricane Harvey.
  Neither Houston nor any city in the nation has ever experienced 
flooding of the magnitude caused by Hurricane Harvey.
  The statistics are staggering.
  21 trillion gallons of rainfall fell in Texas and Louisiana in the 
first five days of the storm.
  The estimated maximum sustained winds exceeded 130 miles per hour as 
the hurricane made landfall near Rockport, Texas on August 25.
  A record 4,323 days, which is nearly 12 years, elapsed since a major 
hurricane (Category 3 or above) made landfall in the United States 
prior to Hurricane Harvey; the last Category 3 hurricane to hit the 
United States was Hurricane Wilma in 2005, the same year Hurricane 
Katrina destroyed much of New Orleans.
  The city of Cedar Bayou received 51.88 inches of rainfall, breaking 
the record for rainfall from a single storm in the continental

[[Page 12932]]

United States; my city of Houston received more than 50 inches of 
rainfall.
  More than 13,000 people have been rescued in the Houston area and 
more than 30,000 persons are expected to be forced out of their homes 
due to the storm.
  More than 8,800 federal personnel were staff deployed to help respond 
to Hurricane Harvey, supplying approximately 2.9 million meals, 2.8 
million liters of water, 37,000 tarps, and 130 generators.
  In the first three days of the storm, more than 49,000 homes that had 
suffered flood damage and more than 1,000 homes were completely 
destroyed in the storm.
  Mr. Speaker, valiant emergency responders are overextended and 
citizen rescues have become a critical source of assistance in saving 
lives.
  Local authorities closed major freeways, airports, and schools.
  Emergency shelters are filled to capacity and efforts to rescue 
residents continue around the clock.
  The anticipated cost of removing debris is expected to dwarf the $70 
million spent by Houston removing debris after Hurricane Ike in 2008.
  We do not yet know the full cost in human lives exacted by Hurricane 
Harvey.
  But what we do know is that the costs of recovery and reconstruction 
will far exceed any natural disaster in memory; best estimates place 
the cost in the range of $150-$200 billion.
  Mr. Speaker, there is much work to be done in my city of Houston, and 
across the areas affected by the terrible, awesome storm that will be 
forever known simply as Hurricane Harvey.
  That is why I strongly support the legislation pending before us 
appropriating $7.85 billion as the initial response of the Congress to 
the damage caused by an epic storm.
  I must emphasize that what we are considering here is the initial 
response because much more funding will be needed for Houston--the 
nation's fourth largest city--and Southeast Texas to recover and 
rebuild.
  For that reason, I urge all Members to join me in support of H.R. 
3672 and to commit to providing our fellow Americans in Texas and 
Louisiana all of the help and support they need to restore their 
communities to their previous greatness.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman 
from Texas (Mr. Culberson), from the Commerce, Justice, Science 
Subcommittee.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Speaker, to everyone in Texas and Louisiana who 
has suffered the loss of a loved one or the loss of everything they own 
in this catastrophic flood, we are here today to tell you that help is 
on the way and to say thank you.
  Help is on the way because today, in the Congress, there are no 
Republicans, there are no Democrats. We are all Americans here today, 
unified in our determination to move swiftly to help all those poor 
people who have suffered so much as a result of this catastrophic 
storm.
  It is an unparalleled disaster in our Nation's history. My district 
suffered. We all suffered, all of us in southeast Texas, southwest 
Louisiana.
  My brother and his wife lost everything. Their home is still 
underwater. My in-laws lost everything. Their home was destroyed, 
everything they owned and loved, but they are just personal 
possessions.
  No one lost their lives. I can't imagine if you lost a loved one in 
this catastrophe.
  But help is on the way. We are all unified here today. We are all 
working together to make sure that we get this immediate infusion of 
cash into the Disaster Relief Fund to help these people who have 
suffered so much and been displaced so abruptly and so 
catastrophically.
  I want to thank you, Mr. Chairman, for bringing this to the floor so 
quickly, thank our leadership for working together to get this done. I 
want to thank President Trump and his wife for personally donating $1 
million to the relief fund for the victims of Hurricane Harvey. I want 
to thank, also, all of the first responders who sacrificed so much to 
save so many lives. I want to thank especially the people of America 
who stepped up to help the people of Houston.
  I spent all of last week out in neighborhoods in boats and on trucks 
and in waders helping pull people and their property and their pets out 
of their homes.
  Last Saturday, I ran into a group of guys, four guys, with a bass 
boat that drove all the way from Florida. They saw the catastrophe on 
television and said, ``We can either sit here and watch this or we can 
go help our fellow Americans,'' and they jumped in their truck and they 
drove that bass boat all the way to Texas to help us.
  A guy from Michigan showed up in our neighborhoods just to help.
  I want to thank my friend and my colleague, Congressman Garret Graves 
of Louisiana, who called me on the second day of the disaster and said: 
The Cajun Navy is on the way.
  I said: What? I didn't know there was such a thing as the Cajun Navy.
  Garret said: 110 trucks are on the way to Texas towing 100 boats 
loaded with thousands of meals of jambalaya and red beans and rice and 
diapers and water and radios and everything that you need to recover 
from a storm.
  They just did it, our neighbors.
  I have never been prouder to be an American, never been prouder to be 
a Texan or a Houstonian, to see people step up and help each other out 
of the goodness of their hearts, because we are Americans and we are 
the greatest nation in the history of civilization, and it is because 
we are all self-reliant. It is because we all look after each other as 
a community. We all love each other. We love our family, our God. We 
respect the law.
  This great Nation that was founded on the rule of law is a bond that 
connects all of us, and we saw it in this disaster, and we thank you 
all from the bottom of our heart. Help is on the way.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, before I yield to our next speaker, I would 
just thank Mr. Culberson. I just want to thank you, Mr. Culberson, 
because, of course, we are all totally supportive of this aid package, 
but I remember that you were the only Member from the majority in Texas 
who supported our Sandy package. I just wanted to, at this time, thank 
you again for your generosity and your warm heart for every American.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Will the gentlewoman yield?
  Mrs. LOWEY. I yield to the gentleman from Texas.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Today, we are all Americans, arm in arm.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 3 minutes to the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Al Green).
  Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I also thank the ranking member 
for her kind words. I would like to thank the chairperson for bringing 
this to the floor, both of them.
  Mr. Speaker, this is a seminal moment in time, a moment in time that 
can shape the rest of our time. This is an opportunity for those of us 
who contend that we are our brother's keeper to, in fact, become our 
brother's keeper. You see, you can't be your brother's keeper without 
keeping your brother. This is a chance to be your brother's keeper. 
This is a chance for the unity that we express when we are before the 
cameras to manifest itself in the votes that we cast here in Congress. 
This is a seminal moment in time.
  This is a moment in time for us to care not only about those who live 
in the suites of life, but also those who dwell in the streets of life, 
those who live on benches, those who sleep under bridges. It is an 
opportunity for us to cast a vote that will send aid, send assistance 
to those in Houston, Texas, and all across the area that has been 
devastated by this monster. It is a chance for us to help them.
  But this is only a downpayment, only a downpayment. There must be 
much more. We need help in Houston posthaste, as is the case with other 
places around the country that have been devastated.
  We need help for housing, not only for those who had homes before the 
monster hit, but also for those who didn't have homes who need to 
transition to a place that they can call home. If home is where the 
heart is, where is the heart of the homeless, people who sleep under 
bridges? Where is the heart of the homeless?
  They have to be given a place that they can call home as well, which 
means, at some point, we have got to

[[Page 12933]]

have dollars appropriated for the organizations that help those who 
live in the streets of life: the homeless. We have got to help them, 
too. If we can help those in the suites, we can help those in the 
streets.
  I would also say to my colleagues: Please understand, people who are 
here and undocumented have needs, too. They live in places that are 
horrible. I have been in their homes. I have smelled the mold. I know 
what it is like to see the conditions that they dwell in. It is time 
for us to put aside the politics that divide us from people who need 
help and help those people, too. Let's send some more money to the 
organizations that help them.
  This is a moment in time. This is a seminal moment in time. It is 
time for us to step up and help everyone that is harmed, not be 
selective. If you are in this country and you are hurting, we ought to 
help you. God bless you.
  I thank you, Madam Leader on my side, the ranking member. I thank you 
again, Mr. Chairman, and I beg that we do what we can to make sure 
every person in this country receives the help he or she deserves.

                                              City of Houston,

                                   Houston, TX, September 1, 2017.
     Mr. Brock Long,
     FEMA Administrator, Department of Homeland Security, 
         Washington, DC.
       Dear Administrator Long: The City of Houston has 
     experienced a catastrophic event, Hurricane Harvey, and the 
     assistance of FEMA is critical to the recovery of our 
     families and community. We are requesting your expeditious 
     action on the following:
       100% federal reimbursement for Categories A (debris 
     removal) & B (emergency protective measures) as was approved 
     for Katrina, Rita and Ike.
       Advance funding for the Public Assistance program (all 
     categories of work)
       We are seeking the initial advance funding of $300 million 
     of which $100 million will be used for immediate debris 
     removal.
       As we get more accurate damage assessment estimates, our 
     goal is to secure total advance funding.
       At least 15-20 Disaster Recovery Centers to be adequately 
     staffed throughout the City of Houston to expedite assistance 
     to individuals
       Deploy 4-5 centers for each quadrant of the City
       Provide adequate staffing to ensure that disaster survivors 
     are promptly assisted
       Funding of up to $1.75 billion for a FEMA Sheltering and 
     Temporary Essential Power (STEP) or Rapid Repair program to 
     expedite the return of families to their homes and contribute 
     to a whole community recovery for approximately 50k homes.
       We are seeking to increase the cap of this funding to up to 
     $35,000/home
       100% advance funding and expedited processing for First 
     Responders who lost property in the line of duty.
       The City of Houston wishes to serve as a pilot program for 
     the 100 Houston Fire Department and 200 Houston Police 
     Department personnel who had significant damage to their 
     homes and losses due to Hurricane Harvey. Many of these First 
     Responders are not insured.
       The City of Houston will also be asking HUD for an 
     immediate release for CDBG-DR funds and seek FEMA support in 
     this request to compliment the recovery efforts. The 
     coordinated and timely release of funds will enable the City 
     of Houston to become more resilient and recover faster.
       Thank you for your consideration of my requests.
           Sincerely,
     Mayor Sylvester Turner.
                                  ____



                                             City of Stafford,

                                  Stafford, TX, September 2, 2017.
     Mr. Brock Long,
     FEMA Administrator, Department of Homeland Security, 
         Washington, DC.
       Dear Administrator Long: The City of Stafford has suffered 
     a catastrophic event, Hurricane Harvey, and the assistance of 
     FEMA is critical to the recovery of our families and 
     community. We are requesting your expeditious action on the 
     following:
       100% federal reimbursement for Categories A (debris 
     removal) & B (emergency protective measures) as was approved 
     for Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Ike.
       Advance funding for the Public Assistance (all categories 
     of work)
       As we get more accurate damage assessment estimates, our 
     goal is to secure total advance funding.
       The City of Stafford is ready to accept Disaster Recovery 
     Centers for IA (individual assistance) and PA (public 
     assistance) to be adequately staffed to expedite assistance.
       Funding of up to $20 million for a FEMA Sheltering and 
     Temporary Essential Power (STEP) or Rapid Repair program to 
     expedite the return of families to their homes and contribute 
     to a whole community recovery for approximately 75 to 100 
     homes.
       We are seeking to increase the cap of this funding to up to 
     $35,000/home.
       100% advance funding and expedited processing for First 
     Responders who lost property in the line of duty.
       The City of Stafford wishes to request a pilot program be 
     granted to this region effected by Hurricane Harvey for the 
     thousands of fire and police personnel who had significant 
     damage to their homes and losses. Many of these First 
     Responders are not insured and are vital to the safety and 
     security of our cities.
       The City of Stafford will also be asking for HUD for 
     immediate release of CDBG-DR funds and seeking FEMA support 
     in this request to compliment the recovery efforts. The 
     coordinated and timely release of funds will enable the City 
     of Stafford to become more resilient and recover faster.
           Sincerely,
     Mayor Leonard Scarcella.
                                  ____



                                                Missouri City,

                             Missouri City, TX, September 2, 2017.
     Mr. Brock Long,
     FEMA Administrator, Department of Homeland Security, 
         Washington, DC.
       Dear Administrator Long: The City of Missouri City has 
     suffered the worse catastrophic event it has ever seen with 
     Hurricane Harvey. The assistance of FEMA will be critical for 
     our families and our community to recover. We are humbly 
     requesting that FEMA assist us with the following need:
       100% federal reimbursement for Categories A (debris 
     removal) & B (emergency protective measures) as was approved 
     for Hurricane Katrina, Rita, and Ike.
       Advance funding for the Public Assistance (all categories 
     of work)
       As we get more accurate damage assessment estimates, our 
     ultimate goal is to secure total advance funding.
       Our city is ready to accept Disaster Recovery Centers where 
     we might have that ability, for Disaster Recovery Centers for 
     IA (individual assistance) and PA (public assistance) to be 
     adequately staffed to expedite assistance as we have in the 
     past with other disasters.
       Funding of up to $20 million for FEMA Sheltering and 
     Temporary Essential Power (STEP) or Rapid Repair Program to 
     expedite the return of families to their homes and contribute 
     to a whole community recovery for approximately 1,000 to 
     1,500 homes.
       We are seeking an increase of the $35,000 per home cap.
       100% advance funding and expedited processing for First 
     Responders who their property In the line of duty and 
     including this EOC Command Center employees.
       The City of Missouri City wishes to request a pilot program 
     to be granted to this region effected by Hurricane Harvey for 
     the thousands of fire, police, and Emergency Center Employees 
     who had significant damages to their homes and total losses 
     while they were working 24/7 assisting others with their 
     needs. Many were never able to return to their own home and 
     families for a week. Many of them are not insured and were 
     vital to the safety and Security of our cities.
       The City of Missouri City will also be asking for HUD for 
     immediate release of CDBG-DR funds and seeking FEMA support 
     in this request to compliment the recovery efforts. The 
     coordination and timely release of funds will enable the City 
     of Missouri City to become more resilient and recover faster.
           Sincerely,
                                                 Mayor Allen Owen.

  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman 
from Texas (Mr. Poe).
  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New Jersey 
(Mr. Frelinghuysen) for yielding me time.
  Mr. Speaker, my Houston area has suffered a historic hurricane, one 
that really changed the lives of all the people who were affected. My 
district was hammered by this flood.
  To put it in perspective, 27 trillion gallons of rain fell over Texas 
and parts of Louisiana in the 6 days of the flood. That is enough water 
to file the Houston Astrodome 85,000 times.
  At the height of the flood, 70 percent of Harris County, which is the 
Houston area, was flooded, 70 percent was underwater.
  The devastation in Texas equalled, Mr. Speaker, the size of New 
Jersey. You place New Jersey in southeast Texas, that is how much of 
the area was affected by this flood and the rain.
  People had anywhere between 36 and 52 inches of rain. The Weather 
Service had to create a new color, purple, on their maps to show how 
much rain had fallen. Nothing like this has ever happened in North 
America.
  72,000 people were rescued by first responders and volunteers from 
high water. This is the largest civilian water evacuation since 
Dunkirk.
  Thousands of civilian volunteers worked along with city and county 
first responders to save countless lives. The heroes came from all 
walks of life, from all parts of the country.

[[Page 12934]]

  The attitude of the people of Texas was one of inspiration. Flooded 
victims who didn't know each other, their homes were flooded, but they 
were helping other flooded victims get to safety and get what property 
they could recover. This heroism reminded me what it means to be a 
Texan and an American.
  Mr. Speaker, Harvey will not defeat the human spirit. There were two 
men in Brownwood. Now, you know where Brownwood, Texas, is. Probably 
nobody else ever heard of it. That is in way west Texas. They decided 
they wanted to help. They got in their pickup trucks. They drove to 
Austin, Texas, which is still 200 miles away from Houston. They went to 
a sports place there and bought a bass boat, a trailer, a motor, and 
filled it up with all kinds of stuff, drove to Houston, Texas, and kept 
working for others. That is one of many stories.
  So this supplemental is important to southeast Texas.
  Let this vote show that we will vote not for politics, but for 
people.
  And that is just the way it is.

                              {time}  1100

  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to yield 2 minutes to the 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Roybal-Allard), a very distinguished 
ranking member from the Homeland Security Subcommittee on the 
Appropriations Committee.
  Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, there is no question that this 
supplemental funding is needed, and needed quickly. When the response 
to Harvey began in late August, the major disaster account of the 
disaster relief fund had approximately $2 billion available. The 
response to this catastrophe, however, is costing close to $200 million 
per day. This means that despite the recent $1 billion increase into 
this account, FEMA could run out of money at any time.
  Therefore, the enactment of the additional $7.4 billion for the 
disaster relief fund in this supplemental is critical to help meet 
FEMA's immediate operational needs for Hurricane Harvey, and to allow 
for the resumption of recovery payments for prior disasters such as 
Sandy.
  The supplemental would also provide a small reserve to ensure that 
FEMA can begin responding to Hurricane Irma, or any other new disaster 
that occurs between now and September 30, 2017.
  It is important to note, however, that if there is significant damage 
from Irma, FEMA will quickly need either an additional reprogramming of 
money, a second supplemental appropriation, or both.
  I applaud the majority for quickly bringing the supplemental package 
to the floor with the emergency designations.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman 
from Texas (Mr. Farenthold).
  Mr. FARENTHOLD. Mr. Speaker, I am here today to ask my colleagues to 
support funding for Hurricane Harvey disaster relief. Often, the TV 
news goes around taking their cameras seeking the worst damage to 
create the most dramatic story.
  In the case of Hurricane Harvey in the district I represent, you 
could drop a camera almost anywhere in towns like Rockport, Port 
Aransas, Aransas Pass, Ingleside, Refugio, Tivoli, Port Lavaca, and 
Victoria, and have that dramatic heart-wrenching shot of devastation.
  My friends' and neighbors' homes were completely flattened by 
hurricane winds. Businesses were destroyed and much of towns were under 
water, like in Wharton, following the unprecedented flooding left 
behind by this storm. It is the worst we have seen in decades.
  Many people, including the town mayor of Port Aransas, suffered and 
lost everything. He was walking around the emergency operation center 
when the mayor of Corpus Christi went up to him and said: I am jealous. 
You get to work in shorts, a Hawaiian shirt, and flip-flops.
  The Port Aransas mayor looked at him and said: It is all I have left.
  You know, the good news for our communities is that we came together 
during this disaster. Groups from around the State and around the 
country donated to help, and many assisted the rescue and cleanup and 
came down and cooked food for evacuees and survivors. People opened 
their homes and their hearts to strangers.
  But the victims of the storms also need FEMA's help as well, with 
things such as emergency assistance and housing. Our cities and 
counties need help clearing brush and debris, and we will need to make 
major infrastructure repairs to areas decimated by Harvey.
  With people registering for assistance at record rates using their 
smartphones, going to disasterassistance.gov, or using the FEMA app, 
FEMA will be out of money in just 2 or 3 days if we don't pass this.
  I urge my colleagues to open their hearts, the way so many Americans 
have, and pass H. Res. 502. I want to say a special thank-you to those 
who donated, those who came and volunteered, and to everybody who 
helped out.
  Mr. Speaker, we are not only Texas strong, we are America strong.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
the Virgin Islands (Ms. Plaskett), who understands the impact of a 
disaster of this kind not only in her district, but in other areas 
where there has been so much suffering.
  Ms. PLASKETT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for the time.
  Mr. Speaker, at the end of this summer the people in the Virgin 
Islands, in every place of worship, say the hurricane prayer at the end 
of their service. And part of that prayer says at the end: But, Lord, 
if a hurricane should come, and You loosen the gale and the winds open 
on us, Your will be done.
  Right now, the people of the Virgin Islands, and the people of Puerto 
Rico are fervently saying that prayer because God's will is being done 
on those islands as Hurricane Irma is impacting and crashing against 
the shores of St. Thomas, St. John, St. Croix, and Water Island.
  This $7.8 billion in emergency supplemental funds is a crucial 
initial installment to address the effects of not only Hurricane 
Harvey, but the effect expected in my district of the Virgin Islands 
today as we stand in the potentially catastrophic path of Hurricane 
Irma, which is currently, at worst-case scenario, a Category 5 
hurricane, the worst hurricane in the Atlantic's history.
  This will need assistance from FEMA to perform emergency protective 
measures, the removal of debris, activities performed by other Federal 
agencies as assigned by FEMA, and to aid small businesses and 
homeowners in rebuilding their lives. Right now, the people of the 
Virgin Islands are praying for the lives of themselves, their families, 
and especially for the roof over their head.
  This funding for initial response efforts is critical, and I thank my 
colleagues for the expeditious manner in which this legislation was 
brought to us for swift passage.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to approve this much-needed 
lifeline, and we are covetous for your prayers right now.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman 
from New Jersey (Mr. Lance), my colleague, and I thank him for his 
assistance many years ago addressing the needs of the residents of New 
York, New Jersey, and Connecticut during Superstorm Sandy.
  Mr. LANCE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of this 
measure to allocate critical funds to urgent rescue and recovery 
operations currently underway in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey.
  The destruction of Hurricane Harvey is horrific, and the loss of life 
is heartbreaking. The Federal Emergency Management Agency is helping to 
lead the disaster response. FEMA needs immediate resources from 
Congress.
  Natural disasters can strike any part of the Nation at any time. No 
State is immune from the forces of nature, and States and localities 
should never have to question if aid is on the way.
  Our excellent Federal officials have the resources and experience to 
mitigate harm. They need to continue putting that experience to use, 
helping our

[[Page 12935]]

neighbors in need, protect critical infrastructure, contain hazardous 
sites, and save lives.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Frelinghuysen for his leadership in 
assembling this immediate assistance for those in need. I urge a 
``yes'' vote.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Crowley), the chairman of the Democratic Caucus.
  Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding to me.
  Mr. Speaker, I look at the pictures of Houston, Galveston, and parts 
of Texas, and Louisiana, and elsewhere, and I harken back to the same 
images I saw in New Jersey, New York, throughout New England, and other 
parts of the Northeast after Sandy.
  I want to also note that the NYPD and the FDNY were amongst the first 
responders to head down to Texas to help our fellow Americans at a time 
of crisis and need.
  I also would like to point out that I have no clue where the town is 
that the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe) mentioned, and I may never ever 
go there. I may never go to that town, but I will tell you, Mr. 
Speaker, I don't need to go to that town to help those people. They are 
Americans, and I will help them at any opportunity I get when they have 
a storm like this that hits them. I don't ask questions. I never asked 
you if you knew where Edgewater in the Bronx was.
  I was prepared to vote immediately to help my constituents on Sandy. 
I wasn't going to have to wait until next week or 30 days from now, or 
60 days from now, or 90 days from now. And I think it is important we 
have to point out the hypocrisy.
  We are not going to stop this funding from going through. We need to 
point out that 20 members of the Republican caucus, some from Texas, 
all but one, Mr. Culberson, voted against Sandy relief. It must be 
understood that we are all Americans, and I will stand to help every 
American who needs help.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Engel).
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding to me, 
and I want to pick up where Mr. Crowley left off.
  I am for this aid. I am for this aid 100 percent. We should help 
these people. As Americans, we should help people all over our country. 
But it really hurts that those of us in New York and New Jersey, when 
Superstorm Sandy came and we were begging for help, we had to wait 2 
months for help, and our friends in Texas on the Republican side of the 
aisle, except for one, voted against aid for New York, New Jersey, and 
Connecticut.
  And now they are asking for aid for Texas, which I support. But it 
just goes to show, we never know where these disasters are going to 
fall. It is incumbent on all of us that we support our fellow Americans 
no matter where they are.
  So I say to the people of Texas, my heart goes out for you. My vote 
will be there. As much money as you need, you will have.
  Mr. Speaker, but I wanted to say to my Republican friends from Texas: 
What you did to us during Superstorm Sandy should not stand, should not 
be done to any other people, anyplace in the country. We are one 
country. We are Americans. We need to help those that need help. I am 
for this 100 percent.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from 
Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee), who has been right there helping, reaching out 
to all of those families who are in desperate need.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, to the distinguished gentlewoman, I 
come now to just stand on behalf of our delegation to be able to say, 
as I said earlier, I acknowledge the pain of Sandy.
  But I now come to make sure that we all understand that this first 
crunch is only the beginning. We are going to put in legislation that 
asks for $180 billion, recognizing the hard work of appropriators, and 
letting you know that people's lives, as we walk through the debris 
that is in front of every house--it is painful. It is long lasting.
  So I just wanted to come to give my thanks and to ask: Will you 
please stand with me for the long journey that is going to be needed 
for the infrastructure we build; new dams that are 30 years old; and 
housing issues that will not end today; and the massive eviction of 
people in apartments? Not cruelly, I hope, but they are getting 
eviction notices with no place to go.
  Mr. Speaker, so I ask that we as Americans join for the long haul, 
the long destiny, with prayers for all.
  I thank Mrs. Lowey for yielding to me so that we can talk about the 
long haul.
  God bless America.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

                              {time}  1115

  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my 
time.
  First of all, this morning we salute the courage of all Texans and 
people from Louisiana. We salute their courage and their resilience.
  Once again, I want to thank all of our Federal agencies and, 
obviously, the Governor of Texas, the Governor of Louisiana, and all 
those agencies that have been meeting the needs of the people; and, 
again, the thousands of volunteers who immediately responded and who 
have been working tirelessly day in and day out to help hundreds of 
thousands of people affected by this storm and saved, I may say, 
countless lives.
  They have fed and housed the displaced, met critical medical needs, 
provided transportation, and, most importantly, gave faith to those who 
have lost literally everything. These are American heroes who are 
showing the best side of our Nation, and we are grateful for their 
service.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution. Let's 
get the money out the door and help the people of Texas and Louisiana.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, our country is reeling from a natural 
disaster that has left dozens dead, caused billions of dollars in 
damage, and forced thousands out of their homes. Hurricane Harvey has 
wrought a level of devastation and suffering that is nearly 
unparalleled in our country.
  It is now our duty as America's representatives to live up to our 
role and help our neighbors when they are in need. This body cannot 
afford to delay providing disaster assistance in the wake of this 
storm, as Congress did when my own state was recovering from Superstorm 
Sandy in 2012.
  Month after month, funding was withheld from our cities by political 
quarrels that came at New Jersey's expense. For five months, our 
communities were forced to wait for the federal assistance they needed 
to rebuild critical infrastructure.
  Cleaning up the damage caused by Hurricane Harvey is a task that is 
beyond any single state's resources and I will not stand by quietly if 
Congress fails to provide swift relief for Harvey's victims.
  I hope that this body has learned from its mistakes, will stand 
together, set aside its differences, and immediately provide the 
communities affected by Hurricane Harvey with the necessary assistance 
to recover and rebuild.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Poe of Texas). The question is on the 
motion offered by the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Frelinghuysen) 
that the House suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 
502.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

                          ____________________