OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Providing for Consideration of H.Res. Expressing Disapproval of the Trump Administration's Harmful Actions Towards Medicaid; Providing for Consideration of H.R. Protecting the Right to Organize Act of and Providing for Consideration of H.R. Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief and Puerto Rico Disaster Tax Relief Act, 2020

Floor Speech

By: Al Green
By: Al Green
Date: Feb. 6, 2020
Location: Washington, DC

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Mr. GREEN of Texas. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California's Eleventh District. I also thank, if I may, the persons who are associated with the Rules Committee who worked tirelessly to get these bills to the floor. And I also thank the House leadership for allowing the bills to come to the floor.

Madam Speaker, I am honored today to say that I traveled to Puerto Rico after one of the hurricanes hit, Hurricane Maria. I was there with the Honorable Bennie Thompson. This was a Homeland Security codel. And while I was there, I had the opportunity to meet with various and sundry NGOs, met with some of the emergency responders, the Corps of Engineers, the National Guard.

I had a firsthand opportunity to see the devastation that Puerto Rico suffered from. And this was prior to the 6.7 earthquake that hit on January 7.

Madam Speaker, I believe that it is time for us to act. I believe this legislation provides the means by which we can act appropriately and efficaciously. I believe that this bill, with what it contains from my bill, H.R. 3702, which was the CDBG-DR, disaster recovery bill, this legislation contains language from that, my bill, and I would like to just share some of the things that are important.

The bill includes the rigorous timelines for allocation action plan approval and grant agreement execution that was contained in the bill. It contains language that HUD will be required to allocate funds no later than 60 days after enactment of the supplemental. HUD would be required to review and approve or disapprove an action plan within 60 days of its submission to the Department, and HUD will be required to allocate funds no later than 60 days after the date of approval of a grantee's plan.

Madam Speaker, I think we have reached a point now where an emergency has become something that we must act upon immediately, if not sooner. The sooner would be today, but unfortunately, we will have the rule today. Immediately will be the vote tomorrow. I beg that all would support the bill.

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