Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2019

Floor Speech

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Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Madam Chair, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.

I rise in support the underlying legislation.

Madam Chair, H.R. 2157 totals $17.3 billion in emergency disaster appropriations to provide relief and recovery assistance for Americans affected by recent hurricanes.

The MilCon/VA portion of the bill provides $860.4 million for Department of Defense military construction needs and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Specifically, the bill includes $115 million for the Marine Corps to begin planning for construction projects related to the devastation from Hurricanes Florence and Michael on Marine Corps facilities in North Carolina (New River, Cherry Point, and Lejeune).

The Marine Corps is planning facility consolidation efforts resulting from the hurricanes' damage, and this funding represents the first step in that rebuilding process.

Madam Chair, the bill also includes $700 million to begin rebuilding Tyndall Air Force Base in my home State of Florida. This funding will support the relocation of the F-22 mission, the beddown of F-35s, and the planning for construction of new facilities. This funding is a vital first step to begin the rebuild of Tyndall.

Madam Chair, I also want to point out that this funding for Tyndall in North Carolina is a downpayment because Congress is going to need to provide much more than this to get these locations back up on their feet.

Madam Chair, these events happened 6 months ago, and yet the first supplemental request to be submitted by the administration is not to address natural disasters; it was for border needs.

I am astounded that the administration continues to ignore these real emergencies which clearly should have been addressed months ago, and I am proud that the Democratic majority is doing just that today.

I urge all Members of this body to cast a ``yes'' vote.

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