FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018

Floor Speech

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Mr. BABIN. Mr. Chairman, this amendment has bipartisan support, the support of my colleagues from Louisiana, who have also been hit hard by hurricanes, Mr. Richmond and Mr. Graves, and I am from Texas.

Your word is your bond in the State of Texas, and I would hope that everyone here in Congress or across this great country would want to say the same thing about their own State. Credibility, trust, and keeping your promise is always important, but especially in times of disaster and crisis. And when Federal agencies like FEMA are called in to help communities ravaged by a natural disaster, we should expect nothing less.

Anyone who has ever experienced a federally declared disaster knows that after ensuring the immediate health and safety needs of those who are affected, the top priority is to get the hazardous and dangerous storm damage cleaned up.

As long as tree limbs, trash, and other debris remain in the streets, things cannot get back to normal, and they are a health and safety hazard. Kids cannot go back to schools, restaurants and shops can't open for business, the economy is at a standstill. And so when a FEMA employee, like a technical assistance contractor, or TAC, lays out a path for a mayor, a county judge, a county commissioner, or any other State or local official to get the federally funded debris removal process under way, they can and should be counted on to honor their commitment and their responsibility.

My amendment will ensure that that will be the case by holding FEMA accountable to the promises made and the contracts authorized by its own employees. Under my amendment, if a local government entity can show and the Department of Homeland Security Inspector General can certify that a local government was acting at the direction and the consultation of a FEMA technical assistance contractor regarding disaster relief efforts, government bureaucrats here in Washington cannot simply change their minds a few years down the road and decide to foot the locals with the bill.

So while this amendment is certainly about fairness, equity, and certainty for local governments, it is also about accountability for Federal officials. FEMA officials will know that the advice and the recommendations that they offer actually matter. Local officials will rest assured knowing that the contracts and work that they are doing is valid and reimbursable. This means getting disaster-damaged municipalities up and running sooner, shortening the timeframe that their citizens and businesses need Federal assistance, and save taxpayer money.

I urge all of my colleagues to help ensure that our government can be trusted to do what they say it will by supporting this bipartisan amendment and the underlying bill.

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Mr. BABIN. Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the gentleman from Oregon's opinion, but, remember that this is an inspector general's. They have to pass on this. This is not just a mistake. All the T's were crossed. All the I's were dotted. The Babin amendment protects our communities because it requires FEMA to keep its word.

Under current practice, a local community can follow all of the FEMA rules and restore your community after a disaster, but then, years later, FEMA can come back and say: Oops, we know we told you to do it that way and we personally approved and reimbursed you for every bill that you sent to FEMA; oh, but we did it wrong. We know that you did exactly what we told you to do; however, we should have told you something differently. Please pay us $3 million.

I think that this is not just pertinent to District 36 in the State of Texas that was hit by a hurricane years ago. This is pertinent to every district across this country that will be suffering from a disaster sooner or later.

Anyone who has a FEMA disaster this year or next, will no doubt be here on the floor in the future to offer this very same amendment. Please join me today in passing our amendment, and let's make FEMA keep its word.

Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

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