Lowey statement on disaster funding request

“In recent months, hurricanes battered Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands and destroyed homes, businesses, infrastructure, and communities, as did raging wildfires in California. 

“I have heard directly from representatives of these states and territories, who have conveyed the massive scale of the devastation and the need for robust disaster assistance to help communities recover and rebuild.  This request does not come close to what local officials say is needed.

“Further, just one day after pushing the House to pass a massive tax cut for corporations and the wealthy that would add $1.5 trillion to the debt, it is galling that the Administration is requesting offsets in exchange for helping Americans rebuild their lives.  Holding vital recovery funding hostage to unrelated and often divisive spending debates is wrong, and only delays fulfillment of our obligation to help disaster victims.

“I look forward to working on a bipartisan basis to deliver expeditiously the robust disaster assistance package that Texas, Florida, California, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands need and deserve.”

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