Banks: Disaster Relief Should Be Paid For

Statement

Congressman Jim Banks (IN-03) today made the following statement after voting against a $36.5 billion supplemental appropriations bill to address the damage caused by several recent natural disasters:

"My heart goes out to the citizens of Puerto Rico, Florida, Texas and California, and I believe Congress can help those affected by natural disasters in a fiscally responsible manner. Unfortunately, this legislation contains no cuts to offset the new spending on disaster relief, includes billions in spending on items unrelated to disaster relief and writes off massive debt accrued by the National Flood Insurance Program without major and necessary reforms. As then-Congressman Mike Pence said in 2005 following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, "Congress must ensure that a catastrophe of nature does not become a catastrophe of debt for our children and grandchildren.' I believe we must take our $20 trillion national debt seriously and make efforts to pay for disaster relief."

The legislation passed the House 353-69.

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