Temporary Increase in Borrowing Authority for National Flood Insurance Program
Floor Speech
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Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of HR 41, a measure to increase by $9.7 billion the borrowing authority of the National Flood Insurance Program, enabling the program to continue paying the tens of thousands of claims related to the destruction caused by Hurricane Sandy.
Across this country from the Appalachians to the Great Lakes to northern coast of Maine, dozens of people have lost their lives, the homes of thousands of families were destroyed and millions of people have suffered from the cold and exposure of winter because they lost power. The suffering touched the people of my state of Maryland as well--hitting hardest the county of Somerset, where the poverty rate is among the highest in the State and where more than 500 homes were affected by the storm.
After more than two months of waiting, it is only now that the House has chosen to act. And by only considering a bill to increase the Flood Insurance Program's borrowing authority by $9.7 billion, we are only making a down payment on the problem. There are estimates that the full cost of recovery will be more than $60 billion.
I had hoped that we would have voted for a relief package during the last Congress. But it is only now that the House Leadership is bringing Sandy legislation to the floor. In the meantime, the people affected by the hurricane have had to wait and will continue waiting as the Senate passes what we pass here today.
Delaying for months the aid for the victims of Hurricane Sandy is unjust and I am disappointed that we are not meeting today to consider a bill to address the full cost of the Hurricane's destruction.
I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the swift passage of this bill so that those suffering around the country can get the relief they so desperately need. I also hope the Republican leadership follows through on its promise to consider additional legislation on this subject when the Congress reconvenes later this month.
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