House Republicans Prepare for 119th Congress

Floor Speech

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Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, my district is suffering, our Nation is suffering, and Congress has the duty to alleviate it.

This year, record-breaking storms have wreaked havoc on homes, businesses, families, farms, and more.

Right now, the West Coast is battling a catastrophic bomb cyclone, dumping as much as 1 foot of rain on impacted communities. On the East Coast, this year's hurricane season was especially destructive. Hurricanes Debby, Helene, Milton, and Beryl, just to name a few, brought destruction to the Southeast, the likes of which I have never seen in my more than 60 years living in the great State of Georgia.

We aren't talking about temporary inconveniences. Communities, particularly ag communities, are experiencing generational damage.

Our fellow Americans have lost loved ones and property at an alarming rate. Among those casualties is Blackshear Assistant Fire Chief Leon Davis from Pierce County, who was killed during Hurricane Helene while selflessly clearing debris in an attempt to keep his community members safe.

My thoughts and prayers continue to be with the Davis family as they mourn this immense loss.

There is nothing we can do to bring our loved ones back, but we can make life better for those who still are with us.

We need disaster relief, and we need it yesterday. The number one responsibility of the Federal Government is to protect our citizens from foreign and domestic threats. It brings me no joy to say this, but we are failing in that mission.

FEMA and SBA's disaster relief coffers are as empty as the hope many people feel about getting the aid they so desperately need, but we have a window of opportunity to change that. I am calling on my colleagues to work together to seize this opportunity.

The White House has submitted a roughly $100 billion request to help our Nation recover from natural disasters. This request is a step in the right direction.

Georgia alone, according to Governor Brian Kemp, needs $12.2 billion just for Hurricane Helene damage recovery. That is just one State and just one storm.

I don't say this often, not often at all, but I echo President Biden's call to quickly pass a supplemental funding package with no delay.

We must work together in a bipartisan and bicameral manner to get the American people the help they deserve. Disaster relief is not a red issue, and it is not a blue issue. It is a red, white, and blue issue.

We have a responsibility to help our communities recover, and there is no excuse for us to delay any further.

We also must ensure that our timber farmers are able to deduct the value of their lost crop, which is why I am pushing for my bill, the Disaster Reforestation Act, to be included in this package.

I am ready to work with my Republican and Democratic colleagues to get this disaster supplemental across the finish line. Anything less than this, Mr. Speaker, will be a dereliction of our duty. Our people need help, and they need it now.

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