Providing for Consideration of H.R. Supplemental Appropriations Respect to Consideration of Certain Resolutions Reported From the Committee on Rules

Floor Speech

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Mr. RUTHERFORD. Madam Speaker, I rise today in opposition to the political ultimatum that has now poisoned this bill.

I had anticipated originally that I would support Chairwoman Lowey's proposal to provide disaster relief to American families who were struggling to rebuild from these recent disasters, like Hurricane Michael that tore up my State of Florida. However, last night, the majority slipped into this bill another short-term continuing resolution that they know will hold this bill back from ever becoming law.

Instead of doing the right thing and passing a clean disaster relief bill, the other side of the aisle continues to play games in an effort to resist the President's call for border security with Mexico.

The Senate and the President have made it clear that government funding bills brought to the floor without border security will not be signed into law.

It is time to accept the reality of the situation that we find ourselves in. Compromise is the only path forward.

But the other side of the aisle seems content to blame the President while punishing victims of natural disasters, including those in the Speaker's own home State of California, who desperately need this relief as they recover from devastating wildfires. Attempting to score political points at the expense of innocent disaster victims is despicable and no way to legislate.

This bill before us today could have provided much-needed relief for Florida families recovering from Hurricane Michael. And it is not just families who will suffer; it is also the Florida farmers, and many Americans who rely on them, who had their crops devastated by this storm.

It is 26 days into the shutdown, and we are still playing these games. Madam Speaker, if you are serious about providing disaster relief to Americans, bring a clean supplemental funding bill to the floor. Stop playing these games with constituents in the northeast and the Panhandle of Florida.

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