RICHMOND FIGHTS FOR DISASTER VICTIMS STILL REBUILDING LIVES

WASHINGTON, DC—During the House Committee on Homeland Security’s markup of the Department of Homeland Security Reauthorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012, Congressman Cedric Richmond (LA-02) offered an amendment to ensure that future disaster assistance would not be subject to budgetary offsets. The amendment failed on a party line vote last night. Mr. Richmond released the following statement on his fight for humanitarian aid for American natural disaster victims:

“A colleague criticized my effort by saying that ‘victimizing disaster victims’ by politicizing them is wrong. I resent the mischaracterization and say that politicizing disaster aid for American natural disaster victims is sinful and wrong. Imagine being knee deep in flood water waiting for the government to decide which program to cut, so that it can send additional help to your town. As a survivor of Hurricane Katrina, I pray that my colleagues are never confronted with that scenario, a hurricane, an earthquake, or any other natural disaster.

“If this policy existed after Hurricane Katrina we would have been waiting for months or even years for the assistance we needed to get New Orleans up and running again. As we have seen this year, Congress' negotiations often come slowly or not at all. Leaving American disaster victims to languish is morally reprehensible and un-American. I think it should be the policy of this body that we're going to be wherever our citizens need us. Congress should never tell the American people that they are on their own after a disaster. As many along the east coast rebuild after Hurricane Irene, I am concerned that they may not receive the continuous aid they so desperately need.

“Let me be clear: I take no issue with offsetting disaster aid. And earlier this year I called for Congress to research a long-term, sustainable approach to funding disaster relief. However, I take issue with requiring that an offset be found before responding to unforeseen, unplanned, natural disasters that devastate American citizens. As a recipient of this nation’s goodwill, I think it’s my responsibility to advocate for other Americans to have the same right.”  

 Mr. Richmond published an editorial opposing the GOP idea of requiring offsets to emergency spending here. He also presented the Humanitarian Aid for Americans Act (H.R. 2455) and an amendment on the House Floor to preemptively block any such proposal, video of which can be found here.