Majority Leader Schumer Floor Remarks On The Need For Congressional Action On Key Priorities Including Disaster Relief
Washington, D.C. – Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke on the Senate floor on the need for Congress to work in a bipartisan way to fund the government, pass the NDAA, and approve disaster relief funding. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks, which can also be viewed here:
In addition to confirming more judges and administrative officials, the Senate also has much to do on the legislative side.
We must keep the government open after December 20th.
We must pass the annual defense authorization bill – the NDAA – just as we’ve done for over six decades.
We hope to keep making progress on the farm bill. I see the Senator from Michigan here, and she’s working diligently on that.
But today, I want to focus on disaster aid, something both Democrats and Republicans have long supported and which impacts people in every state in the country.
Earlier today, the Office of Management and Budget released a letter addressed to Congress calling for swift action on disaster relief, along with a detailed breakdown of where that money is needed.
Right now, a host of federal programs from various agencies are running critically low on the funding they need to function. In some cases like the SBA – Small Business Administration – funding has already dried up.
Without Congressional action, the federal government may not be ready to respond to the next wave of disasters when they strike. Without Congressional action, communities that are trying desperately to rebuild will be left in the lurch.
Many of the programs in need of replenishing focus on the long-term elements of disaster recovery. When disaster strikes, obviously the first priority is getting people out of danger and providing for their immediate needs.
But then homes need to be rebuilt. Schools need to be reopened. Farmers need help to recover their losses from ruined crops. Roads and bridges and railways need funding for repairs. Businesses need loans to get back on their feet. All these priorities are running critically low on federal dollars.
A month ago, Speaker Johnson said that getting disaster aid done would be a priority of his upon Congress’s return this month. I hope the Speaker honors that commitment and works with Democrats to get disaster aid done as soon as we can. We should not kick the can down the road nor withhold vital resources the federal government needs to properly help recovering communities.
It’s a longstanding tradition that when any community is hit by disaster in this great country, we all rally together to help our fellow Americans. With just a few exceptions this has almost been non-partisan. That’s how it should be on issues like this that impact communities of all kinds and in all places.
We must work together to get disaster aid done as soon as possible, so that we’ll be ready the next time disaster strikes.
###
