Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense, the Global War on Terror, and Hurricane Recovery, 2006
EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT FOR DEFENSE, THE GLOBAL WAR ON TERROR, AND HURRICANE RECOVERY, 2006 -- (House of Representatives - March 16, 2006)
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Mr. WALSH. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the bill.
Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to the gentleman's amendment. I understand the point he is making regarding the concept of splitting bills, however, the direct result of this amendment, if it were to pass, and I hope it doesn't, would be to strip all the money out that we need to restore military facilities and veterans facilities in that region.
In fact, this bill, title II, includes $184 million to replace military facilities at bases in the gulf coast damaged by the hurricanes, such as a fire crash rescue station at Keesler Air Force Base. It also includes funds to replace the Veterans Hospital in New Orleans. Eliminating this title puts these facilities and our military personnel at greater risk.
For those reasons, Mr. Chairman, I strongly oppose the amendment.
Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. Does the gentleman reserve his time?
Mr. WALSH. I yield back.
Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr. Chairman, may I inquire as to how much time I have remaining?
The Acting CHAIRMAN. The gentleman from Texas has 12 minutes remaining.
Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 1/2 minutes to the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. King).
Mr. KING of Iowa. Thank you, Mr. Neugebauer, I appreciate the privilege to address this issue.
And, Mr. Chairman, Katrina funding doesn't belong in this DOD emergency supplemental appropriations bill. We have had now 6 months to debate and discuss and deliberate on Katrina funding, and yet there is still not a plan. This Congress hasn't exerted its will on a plan in New Orleans, in particular, and yet here we have another wave of appropriations that has come in without an accounting of where the money has been spent.
If we continue to do this, Mr. Chairman, we will continue to see more money go down there without a solution in place. And I would submit, and I have been down there three times, that if our Federal agencies function at 100 percent of optimum possible production, and with their hearts and their heads all in the right place, we still don't have a solution for Katrina. There is not a plan.
There are appropriations that are in this. There is $100 million to restore the surrounding wetlands, yet we don't know how we are going to protect New Orleans for a category 3.1 storm or anything greater than that. We appropriated money before Christmas for the Corps of Engineers to produce a study to protect New Orleans for a cat 5 hurricane, but they have 24 months to produce the results of that study, and yet we don't know what kind of protection is going to be there for the capital that would go down in that region, some of it below sea level.
If FEMA, SBA, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers all do their job at 100 percent, there is still not a solution. We need to have a plan, an ordered plan, that provides for levee construction for protection of, in particular, New Orleans, at some level; whether it is a 3, a 3.5, a 4, or something above. The people that are reconstructing their homes need to know where they can put their dollars.
But this does not do it, Mr. Chairman. This is something that injects Katrina funding into DOD supplemental appropriations emergency spending. It is not emergency spending. It needs to be dealt with under the normal process of our appropriations process.
So I would conclude and ask for a ``yes'' vote on the Neugebauer amendment, and thank him for bringing it to the floor.
Mr. WALSH. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to reclaim the time held in opposition to the amendment.
The Acting CHAIRMAN (Mr. Bass). Without objection, the gentleman from New York controls 14 minutes.
There was no objection.
Mr. WALSH. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Rogers), chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security.
Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Chairman, I know the motivation of the offerer of the amendment, and I sympathize with his general premise. However, I am obligated to speak against the amendment because the amendment would eliminate the money for FEMA. Under this proposal, FEMA would run out of money in May. The $9.55 billion in the bill for the operations in the Gulf Coast would be eliminated. Housing assistance would stop; debris removal would stop. There would be no emergency communications in place for the upcoming hurricane season, which is only two months away. And $13.5 million for the Inspector General would be cut, almost ensuring fraud, waste and abuse of the $35 billion in supplemental funds we have appropriated so far for the Gulf Coast.
So I would urge a ``no'' vote. Although I understand the gentleman's motivation to try to separate out the disaster funding from the military funding, that would ruin the disaster assistance for the Gulf Coast. I urge a ``no'' vote.
Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 1/2 minutes to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Pence).
(Mr. PENCE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. PENCE. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank Mr. Neugebauer for, after a very short period of time in Congress, stepping forward in this case and in other cases with substantive legislation that reflects the conservative values that he came to Washington to represent, and does so with no small amount of courage and common sense.
As we look at this behemoth emergency supplemental, Mr. Chairman, I still want to express appreciation to the chairman of the Appropriations Committee and the chairmen of the appropriate subcommittees. I do believe, as is evidenced by the courtliness demonstrated on the floor today, that we are not subject in this case, or any other case, to bad people but to a bad process. As this Congress undertakes to change the way we spend the people's money, this behemoth legislation is again an argument for budget process reform.
To the Neugebauer amendment, I must begin by saying Hurricane Katrina breaks my heart. I have grieved for the families who have lost loved ones and lost their precious resources and communities in the wake of this storm. I have supported Katrina funding in the past. And in working with colleagues to offset its cost, I will support Katrina funding in the future, but I cannot support adding Katrina relief to an emergency military bill.
The American people know that Hurricane Katrina funding and military spending are apples and oranges. As the author of this amendment suggests as well, the President of the United States knows this, having sent a bill to fund Katrina to the Hill separate from a bill to fund the war on terror. Rather than this legislation being focused on a disciplined measure to fund our military priorities, it has in a sense become a fruit basket, as supplemental bills often do. Spending that, while it may be worthwhile, belongs in the regular order of the legislative process in this Congress.
We need to get back to saying that emergency spending should just fund emergencies; and military emergency spending should fund military emergencies. Let us separate support for the war on terror and our support for the families and communities affected by Katrina. Let us support the Neugebauer amendment, and let this Congress work its will independently to the war on terror and our desire to be there for the families and communities affected by Hurricane Katrina.
Mr. WALSH. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 1/2 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Gingrey).
Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time.
I fully support the Neugebauer amendment to strike the Katrina funding out of this emergency supplemental. It is not in any way, shape, or form that I am opposed to Katrina funding. Indeed, we have already appropriated on an emergency expedited manner $62 billion for Katrina relief. I have been to the gulf coast twice. I have seen the devastation. I have actually worked in one of the clinics in Baton Rouge and treated some of these patients. My heart goes out to the victims of this devastating hurricane along the gulf coast.
But as my colleagues have just said, it makes no sense to join these two bills together. The previous $62 billion that we have appropriated is going to Katrina without much oversight. The citizens, the constituents of the 11th Congressional District of Georgia, are sick and tired of hearing the stories of waste, fraud and abuse. They want some oversight, and this is the only way we can get it.
With all due respect to the appropriations chairman and the subcommittee chairman, this idea that if we do not do it today, right now, combined with the defense emergency appropriations, Armageddon is going to occur. It is not. We come back here the very first day we return and we deal with this bill and we have some opportunity to have some input. This is what our constituents want.
I support the Neugebauer amendment. Let us strike this funding and come back and do it right.
Mr. WALSH. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 1/2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hensarling).
Mr. HENSARLING. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I thank him for his courage in offering this amendment because I know how easy it is to misrepresent what his intentions are.
I agree with the previous speakers, and I am disappointed that these two bills have not been separated out. I am here to agree and admit, as one who has actually been to the gulf coast, that perhaps more Federal funding may be needed. I have seen the human misery. I have family that was there. My in-laws were there. They were among the lucky ones; they lived through it. Their home, although significantly damaged, was not totally demolished. My heart goes out to these people.
But the answer to the human tragedy is not an unlimited check drawn upon the checkbook of the Federal taxpayer.
Many speakers act like nothing has been done already to help the gulf coast, but $100 billion in tax incentives and in other direct relief has gone to the gulf coast. That, ladies and gentlemen, is a lot of money.
And let us also not ignore the fact that although there was a great tragedy that occurred on the gulf coast, there are many other tragedies that occur in this Nation every day, but CNN is not there to capture them on a day-to-day basis.
Mr. Chairman, 38,000 Americans die each year in a car crash, and we are asking their families to be taxed to send more money to the gulf coast; 1.4 million Americans are going to be diagnosed with cancer this year, and yet we want to tax them to send more money to the gulf coast.
There are almost a half a million homes that burn each year, and we want to tax those families to send more money to the gulf coast. Perhaps more money is justified, but until we see the plan, until we see more accountability where we do not have trailers rotting in the Arkansas mud and Gucci purses being bought on debit cards, until we figure out the precise Federal role versus the State role versus the local role versus the role of able-bodied individuals under the age of 65, until we come up with reforms, and most importantly, until we come up with offsets, it is time that we prioritize our spending. And maybe we shouldn't be funding the citrus canker program and Radio-Free Europe if money is needed at the gulf coast. I support this amendment and hope it passes.
Mr. OBEY. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.
Mr. Chairman, maybe I did not hear right, but I thought I heard some rather interesting things. Two speakers ago I heard the words ``we need more oversight.'' Really? This from a Congress and a majority party that has provided mighty little oversight of the abuses at Abu Ghraib, mighty little oversight on the question of contractor ripoffs in Iraq?
If you want some oversight, I will be interested to see how you vote on the amendment to provide a Truman-like committee to get into the details of contractor abuse in Iraq.
I have also heard from the gentleman from Texas express his concern about cancer patients who are being asked to pay taxes to support additional aid to the gulf. I will be interested to see whether the gentleman votes for a budget which for the third year in a row will cut the number of research grants at the National Institutes of Health.
The gentleman mentioned the number of people who die in fires. I will be interested to see whether they vote for the recommendation to eliminate fire grants. I could go on and on, but I won't in the interest of time.
So I was heartened to hear those comments by both gentlemen. I just hope that when the bills come that provide the services for the activities that they mentioned, that they will have the same attitude that they are exhibiting here today.
Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself the balance of my time.
There has been a lot of discussion about what this bill does and what it does not do. What it does do is not take away Katrina funding; but what it says is let us break this bill into two pieces the way that the President of the United States sent this bill over to us, giving an opportunity for Members to express their opinions about our current defense policy, giving Members of Congress the ability to talk about and express their opinions about how they feel about Katrina policy and how it is going today.
One of the things that this amendment does, Members would be able to come back for debate on Katrina and have a separate vote at that particular time.
What we need to understand is this is no small sum of money. This is $92 billion as of the last count; and with the amendments, it is probably going to be more. We also know that $92 billion is in excess of 10 percent of our discretionary spending for 2006.
So it makes good sense for the American soldiers, the young men and women that are defending our Nation, that are executing the war on terrorism to have a separate vote. It makes good sense for the people in the devastated areas because of the hurricanes that we have had, for us to have deliberative talks and discussions about what is good policy for Katrina.
But let's don't leave the third set of people out that this body is charged to represent, and that is the American people. We need to make sure when we are making policy in this building and in this Chamber that it is good for the people in America. The American people are looking to us; and quite honestly, the people back in the 19th Congressional District of Texas are concerned about our spending. They question how much is an emergency and what is an emergency.
Quite honestly, Mr. Chairman, I think that combining these bills today is not good policy, and I urge my colleagues to come down and give a positive vote, vote for this amendment, vote for our soldiers, vote for the people in Katrina, but also vote for the American people.
Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. WALSH. Mr. Chairman, I yield the balance of my time to the gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis), chairman of the Appropriations Committee.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time.
I believe my colleagues know that the Appropriations Committee gives the highest priority to improving and extending oversight to money that is expended.
Indeed, I have personally spent a lot of time working with the Inspector General. We have added money in this bill to the Inspector General specifically to make sure oversight is increased and is very adequate. I am concerned, for example, about the money that may be available even to east Texas as a result of this work. I intend to make sure that we do what is right in connection with our response to this issue. I would urge a ``no'' vote and appreciate my colleagues supporting that ``no'' vote.
The Acting CHAIRMAN (Mr. Bass). The question is on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Neugebauer).
The question was taken; and the Acting Chairman announced that the noes appeared to have it.
Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Texas will be postponed.
AMENDMENT OFFERED BY MS. MILLENDER-MCDONALD
Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
Amendment offered by Ms. Millender-McDonald:
Page 59, line 1, insert ``(increased by $50,000,000)'' after the dollar figure.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to the order of House of Wednesday, March 15, 2006, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Millender-McDonald) and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from California.
Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I rise today to ask my colleagues to support the amendment that I have offered to H.R. 4939, which is the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense, the Global War on Terror and Hurricane Recovery.
Mr. Chairman, I have a bill that is going through the normal process that will ask for $50 million through EAC. But this is an emergency bill and it is an emergency with those who are down in those gulf coast States who are looking for some relief in their elections that are upcoming.
My amendment is a simple one. It merely gives an additional $50 million to FEMA so that they can repair and replace the election infrastructure in the States affected by Hurricanes Rita and Katrina.
On August 29, 2005, the Nation and the world watched in horror as the Gulf States were hit by one of the worst hurricanes in this Nation's history. Hurricane Katrina destroyed life in the Gulf States as we know it. And to our dismay, a few weeks later, Hurricane Rita cut a path of devastation along the Texas-Louisiana coast.
The residents of the Gulf States have witnessed entire towns and cities destroyed in the face of Hurricane Katrina and Rita. In some locations these hurricanes wiped out the entire infrastructure necessary for citizens to educate their children, shop for necessities, and to exercise their right to vote. This is what this emergency bill is all about, allowing the election infrastructure to be placed there to give people the right to vote, because it may be years, Mr. Chairman, before the Gulf States start to resemble the vibrant region of the country which they were known to have before these storms.
And it takes time, Mr. Chairman, to build schools and shopping centers; but when it comes to voting, time is of the essence. The most affected State, Louisiana, will be holding elections in just weeks, along with Mississippi and Alabama, which have scheduled primaries in June.
Mr. Chairman, I have a letter from the Secretaries of State of those States urging us to pass this emergency $50 million and to ask FEMA to provide this. FEMA has denied them before to get this election infrastructure put in place. This bill will do just that.
My bill will add an additional $50 million to FEMA under the Stafford Act. It is my intent that FEMA directs these funds to the States affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita to rebuild the necessary infrastructure to conduct Federal elections. As the ranking member on the Committee on House Administration, I have that oversight, and I am urging this amendment to be passed.
Voter registration lists need to be reestablished, sometimes even recreated from scratch; and destroyed polling stations must be reconstructed and made fully accessible to those with disabilities. With this additional money, FEMA will not have to take money away from rebuilding schools and bridges and hospitals and other important reconstruction projects in order to get the election process back up and running in the gulf coast States in time for Federal elections in the coming weeks. And this is not a blank check, Mr. Chairman. The States would have to submit proposals with detailed plans before receiving funds.
Mr. Chairman, I am urging that we do this in light of the fact that FEMA has not, and denied these Secretaries of State the due process of getting these election infrastructures put in place. Hurricanes Katrina and Rita nearly destroyed those Gulf States. Months later, the rippling effect is still being felt by the Nation.
This Nation must provide disaster relief funds to supplement State and local efforts with their efforts to restore and replace supplies, material and equipment so that election officials can conduct credible elections.
We talk about democracy in Iraq and Afghanistan. We need our democracy right here for those who wish to vote and want to vote in the upcoming elections to do that. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
OF SECRETARIES OF STATE,
Washington, DC, February 6, 2006.
Hon. SUSAN M. COLLINS, Chair
Hon. JOSEPH I. LIEBERMAN,
Ranking Member, Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
Hon. PETER KING, Chair
Hon. BENNIE G. THOMPSON,
Ranking Member, Committee on Homeland Security, House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Hon. TRENT LOTT, Chair
Hon. CHRISTOPHER J. DODD,
Ranking Member, Committee on Rules and Administration, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
Hon. VERMON EHLERS, Chair
Hon. JUANITA MILLENDER-MCDONALD,
Ranking Member, Committee on House Administration, House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
DEAR CHAIRMAN COLLINS, RANKING MEMBER LIEBERMAN, CHAIRMAN KING, RANKING MEMBER THOMPSON, CHAIRMAN LOTT, RANKING MEMBER DODD, CHAIRMAN EHLERS AND RANKING MEMBER MILLENDER-MCDONALD: On August 29, 2005 Americans in the Gulf Coast suffered the most devastating natural disaster in our nation's history. Since that time, officials at all levels of government have been devoted to helping our citizens rebuild and move forward. As Alabamans, Louisianians and Mississippians, we are grateful for the hope, service and resources that have poured into our region and we are heartened by the hospitality of Americans in the great cities across the country who have welcomed our fellow citizens in this time of unprecedented need. We write your committees to request necessary assistance in securing the rights of our region's voters. Because a transparent and accountable democratic infrastructure is the backbone of any rebuilding effort, we are asking for your assistance in securing $10 million to ensure meaningful elections.
As we move in our common struggle to. keep the Gulf Coast vibrant in the wake of disaster, we must provide our citizens with the opportunity to participate in the critical and difficult decision making that each of our states face in the coming months and years.
We are honored to serve as Secretaries of State and Chief Election Officials and humbled by our solemn duty to safeguard our citizens' most fundamental right as Americans--the right to vote. The mandates of our office require that we provide all eligible voters, both those that have returned to their homes already and those that are temporarily residing elsewhere, with an opportunity to participate in this rebuilding effort by exercising their voice through the ballot box.
Each election presents our states with many challenges, but never before has there been such great potential for disenfranchisement than in the elections we are facing in the coming year. In Louisiana alone over 400,000 of our registered voters are dispersed in 49 states across the country. Over 53,000 of those citizens have been welcomed into Alabama and Mississippi. Over 250 polling places in our coastal parishes have been destroyed. To date, Louisiana has expended over $2.5 million in restoration of voting machines and associated equipment alone.
In Mississippi, Katrina's damage was devastating. Though fewer citizens were permanently displaced than in Louisiana, our infrastructure in many communities was completely destroyed or severely damaged, due to storm surge along the coast and hurricane force winds that reached as far as 125 miles inland.
The result of this devastation is that limited county budgets are depleted to deal with debris removal and infrastructure rebuilding, and much of our counties' tax base is destroyed. Much of these diverted county funds would have been used to bring voting precincts up to ADA standards and to purchase new voting machines to meet HAVA requirements this year. Based on surveys from our 43 affected counties, Mississippi's estimated reimbursement need is $4.2 million dollars for ADA voting precinct compliance and voting machine purchase.
Alabama's Gulf Coast area, and 22 counties which were declared disaster areas following Hurricane Katrina, have a variety of needs to conduct their first election on June 6, 2006. In addition to necessary repairs to make some polling places functional, many counties in this disaster area have used dollars normally allocated for election costs to remove debris, repair infrastructure, etc., and these funds would have been used to upgrade polling place facilities, comply with ADA, provide training, purchase supplies, train polling officials, etc. Alabama's estimated cost for the above needs is 2.3 million.
As Chief Election Officials, we are committed to overcoming these challenges, but to guarantee that each of our citizens has an equal opportunity to participate in the election, we need additional resources that will allow us to be creative in educating our voters, providing opportunities for them to cast meaningful ballots from across the country and rebuild our democratic infrastructure.
Unfortunately, our requests to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (``FEMA'') have been answered by a denial that FEMA has authorization under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to aid us in administering elections. The Stafford Act, however, clearly provides the statutory authority to FEMA to help with necessary election expenses incurred in the wake of a national disaster. 42 U.S.C. §5170a. In fact, when Americans have suffered the results of disasters in the past, FEMA has provided aid and financial support for extraordinary expenses to election officials. For example, in 1992, in the wake of Hurricane Andrew, FEMA provided substantial aid to Miami-Dade County to overcome the obstacles of losing more than 100 polling places. FEMA also provided reimbursement for all of that county's election expenses incurred as a result of Andrew.
We seek assistance from the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and the House Homeland Security Committee to help secure necessary funding and assistance from FEMA.
Each of our offices is currently engaged in determining the financial impact of the hurricanes on our respective election system. It is our feeling that we will need $10 million this year in order to adequately address our voters' additional needs as a result of the storms. In order to most effectively administer election related funding, we encourage a formal liaison between FEMA and the United States Election Assistance Commission (EAC). This relationship will allow essential funds to be directed to the states by the federal agency responsible for issues related to election administration. Consequently, we call on the Senate Rules Committee and the Committee on House Administration to work with the EAC to determine the structure of this necessary relationship. It is our hope that, as a result of this relationship, we will have a procedure for obtaining needed financial resources through a responsive partner.
Time, of course, is of the essence. Voters in Orleans Parish Louisiana will cast ballots on April 22 to elect leaders whose vision will determine the future of New Orleans and its historic neighbors. Starting in the spring and running through the summer, all of our states have primary elections for local and federal offices. Of course, this coming fall, each of our states must administer major federal elections. It is essential to a successful rebuilding process that our citizens have confidence in the outcomes of these elections. Our commitment to this goal is undermined only by our lack of resources.
Sincerely,
Al Ater,
Secretary of State, State of Louisiana.
Eric Clark,
Secretary of State, State of Mississippi.
Nancy Worley,
Secretary of State, State of Alabama.
NASS Resolution on FEMA Financial Assistance After a Disaster
Whereas, In September 2005 the gulf south region of America suffered devastating losses as a result of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and
Whereas, other geographic areas have in the past and will suffer in the future from devastating disasters whether by act of god or man, that will debilitate the election process, and
Whereas, the Secretaries of State and other local election officials in the affected areas will bear substantial additional costs to restore polling places, voting equipment, and other necessary items which will enable them to resume conducting elections, and
Whereas, we, the members of the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) and the chief state election officials in 39 states, agree that accurate, accessible, and accountable elections are the centerpieces of our democracy, and
Whereas, the state and local governments in the affected areas have and will suffer tremendous losses of revenue and have to shoulder additional expenses in the clean up and rehabilitation of their respected areas, and
Whereas, the Federal Emergency Management Agency reports that they have no statutory authority to pay for any of these extraordinary expenses, and
Whereas, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has provided assistance and financial aid for extraordinary expenses to state and local election officials for conducting elections during past disasters.
Therefore be it Resolved, That NASS hereby urges and requests the President and Congress of the United States of America to direct the Federal Emergency Management Agency to deem these extraordinary expenditures as eligible for payment under the Stafford Act and to work with other federal agencies to expediently take appropriate steps to assist those Secretaries of State and local election officials in the affected areas.
Adopted the 5th day of February, 2006
In Washington, DC
Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. The gentleman from Kentucky is recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Chairman, this amendment is just not necessary. FEMA has money and the authorization to go ahead and buy election equipment already, and they are already doing it. This amendment would actually earmark Disaster Relief Funds, which we have never done before. We don't earmark. This is not an account out of which you earmark monies for things you like. These are Disaster Relief Funds that are administered by the government where it is needed.
Now, the Stafford Act authorizes the use of Federal money to repair or replace damaged public infrastructure. That is what it is for, including election equipment. FEMA has already spent over $1.7 million on election equipment in Louisiana and Mississippi. Specifically, Louisiana has received $1,200,100 from FEMA to replace polling booths, computers, voting machines, office supplies, and storage facilities. Mississippi has received $724,000 from FEMA for voting machines, equipment, and election commission furniture. So FEMA is already doing it. I don't know why we need to earmark monies, which I oppose in general; but it is unnecessary here because it is already being done.
There is plenty of money in FEMA's account to replace the election equipment. They are already doing it. So I don't see the need for us to pass this sort of an amendment and set a precedent, Mr. Chairman, for earmarking out of the Disaster Relief Fund for somebody's whim on the floor. We have passed the Stafford Act. That is what governs how FEMA monies are being spent. This would be a violation, in my judgment, of the principle of the Stafford Act.
FEMA is in the process of helping remove debris from the Gulf Coast. Roads are still closed in the area. As has been described innumerable times, it is an absolute mess down there. And while election equipment is important, it is just simply, in my judgment, premature to purchase this equipment, first of all, when there are no structures in place to house the equipment and no roads open to deliver it. When the time is right, FEMA has both the authority and the money to assist with the upcoming election and the equipment requirements. There is simply no need for this amendment and no need to earmark out of disaster funds.
Including the funds in this bill, we will have given $44.5 billion to the Disaster Relief Fund in supplemental appropriations during 2005 and 2006. That is a huge sum. But it reflects the commitment of this body to helping rebuild the devastated Gulf Coast region.
Now is the time for sound management of this money. Arbitrarily carving out specific amounts from the disaster fund would open a floodgate seemingly without end for many, many needs.
We recognize and support the need to repair election facilities. It is critical that we allow those affected by Hurricane Katrina to participate in the most important civic duty, and that is voting. With this bill, the disaster relief monies involved in the bill are in place to do just that and are being spent for that purpose already. So I would urge a rejection of this amendment.
Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. The Chair regrettably informs the gentlewoman from California that her time has expired.
Mr. OBEY. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word, and I yield to the gentlewoman from California.
Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Chairman, as much as I hate to disagree with the gentleman from Kentucky, this is not an earmark, nor has FEMA submitted the requisite amount of money that is required for the election infrastructure. They have approved $1 million, but they have given no money; and, in fact, the Secretaries of State have indicated that FEMA has refused and denied them any money at all. So what I am simply asking is that given that this is an emergency to take care of the hurricanes, that we provide the funding for that infrastructure to be placed.
Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Chairman, I urge a ``no'' vote, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. The question is on the amendment offered by the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Millender-McDonald).
The question was taken; and the Acting Chairman announced that the noes appeared to have it.
Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentlewoman from California will be postponed.
AMENDMENT OFFERED BY MR. JINDAL
Mr. JINDAL. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
Amendment offered by Mr. Jindal:
Page 59, line 1, after the dollar amount, insert the following: ``(reduced by $2,000,000)''.
Page 49, line 16, after the dollar amount insert the following: ``(increased by $2,000,000)''.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to the order of the House of Wednesday, March 15, 2006, the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Jindal) and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Louisiana.
Mr. JINDAL. Mr. Chairman, in the days and weeks after first Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita, it became very clear that the lack of communications was one of the biggest obstacles to a rapid recovery and a rapid rescue effort in the face of these awful disasters.
The purpose of the amendment that I offer today is to use $2 million for the Department of Defense's Technical Support Working Group to deploy in hurricane-affected States existing technology that provides wireless, interoperable, mobile, encrypted broadband communications for first responders, National Guard, Federal response personnel in the case of future disasters or in the case of the temporary absence of communications.
FEMA has already been tasked with identifying and providing existing commercially available capabilities in time to provide responders with this capability before the next hurricane season begins. The capability exists and needs to be rapidly deployed.
The purpose for my amendment is to use $2 million for the working group to deploy in these areas existing technology.
Federal, State, and local law enforcement and first responder agencies were limited in their ability to respond to Hurricane Katrina because they couldn't communicate. The House Select Committee on Katrina identified this as a key failure at all levels. The Select Committee's recommendation states in part that the Department of Homeland Security should establish and maintain a deployable communications capability to quickly gain and retain situational awareness when responding to catastrophic incidents.
My amendment takes a step in the right direction and, importantly, does so before the next hurricane season, which starts June 1. We must provide responders with the capability to talk across agencies, within their agency when customary communications systems like phones are disrupted or destroyed.
This is not, obviously, a cure-all approach to solve our Nation's interoperable problems; but it is one solution that provides a stopgap system that allows responders to talk to each other using their existing hardware from mobile or fixed locations when existing systems aren't available.
FEMA has already been tasked with this responsibility before the next hurricane season. The capability exists and needs to be rapidly deployed.
This amendment does not require additional Federal dollars. It simply provides $2 million and directs the Department of Defense and its technical support working group to work with FEMA using funds Congress has already planned to provide FEMA to identify and deploy the capability.
From a personal perspective, I can state, being on the ground in the days and weeks after Katrina and Rita, this was one of the biggest gaps in our Federal, State and local response, the inability to have interoperable communications.
Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?
Mr. JINDAL. I yield to the gentleman from Florida.
Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Chairman, it is obvious that he has put a lot of time and effort into this amendment. The committee has reviewed the amendment thoroughly, and we will accept the amendment.
Mr. JINDAL. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
The Acting CHAIRMAN (Mr. Bass). Does anybody seek time in opposition to the amendment?
If not, the question is on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Jindal).
The amendment was agreed to.
AMENDMENT OFFERED BY MR. JINDAL
Mr. JINDAL. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
Amendment offered by Mr. Jindal:
Page 59, line 1, after the dollar amount, insert the following: ``(reduced by $50,000,000)''.
Page 68, line 16, after the dollar amount insert the following: ``(increased by $50,000,000)''.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to the order of the House of Wednesday, March 15, 2006, the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Jindal) and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Louisiana.
Mr. JINDAL. Mr. Chairman, I intend to offer and withdraw this amendment.
The purpose of my amendment is to restore the administration's request to rebuild New Orleans' VA Medical Center. I do intend to withdraw this amendment pursuant to a colloquy with my colleagues. I want to, first of all, state the rationale for my amendment in the first place.
The VA Medical Center suffered significant damage after the hurricane. It is a 354-bed acute care facility. It provides health care to more than 220,000 veterans who live in a 23-parish region served by this medical center. It is absolutely critical to get this hospital rebuilt as quickly as possible to continue serving these thousands of veterans, our men and women who have served us so proudly in uniform.
Ironically, it was not the hurricane that did the majority of damage to the VA center. Instead, the facility actually initially weathered the hurricane with minimal damage. However, the breach of the levees days later flooded the entire area around the medical center. Let me correct myself, I am sorry, Mr. Chairman.
It was the breach of the levees, not days later, it was the breach of the levees caused by the failure of design and construction. It was the breach of the levees that flooded the entire area around the medical center, the facility's first floor basement and sub-basement. Those floors housed the facility's major electrical, mechanical and dietetics equipment. Of the 1,819 VA employees in New Orleans, 40 percent lost their homes.
Despite this destruction, despite the obstacles, the VA was one of the few bright lights to shine through the devastation that hit the region. Advanced planning, a well-known electronic medical system helped to ensure that VA could coordinate and move thousands of staff and patients to facilities across the United States without a single loss of life attributed to the lack of medical attention.
In addition, VA staff members volunteered thousands of hours of their time to assist veterans and other citizens in the affected communities to ensure that the aftermath of this storm and the response could go as smoothly as possible.
Right now, the current situation is that thousands of veterans are being forced to drive a long distance or do without the health care they need. The President initially requested over $600 million to rebuild the medical center in addition to the previous $75 million that was included in the December supplemental for planning and land acquisition.
This is an important facility for the VA. I also want to commend the VA for working together with LSU, which operates the city's Charity Hospital. They have announced an intent to try to work together to construct a shared facility, so the new hospital would have the economies of scale, for example, sharing potentially laundries and other facilities with the State hospital that will also need to be rehabilitated, maybe even rebuilt before it reopens. It is crucial to restore this funding; it is crucial that we get this hospital open as quickly as possible.
I do intend to yield to one of my colleagues. It is my understanding in working with the committee, that they will work with me to ensure that the VA does have the funds they need to reopen this facility in its entirety. I think there was some discussion about the adequacy of the funds, and there was some analysis of how much funds would actually be needed to reopen this facility.
I yield to the gentleman from New York.
Mr. WALSH. Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the gentleman's concern for the construction of the new veterans hospital in New Orleans. I would like to state, also, that I congratulate him and thank him for the leadership that he has provided to the great city and the great people of New Orleans. He has been a consistent and strong supporter.
We will continue to work on this issue, and I will work with the gentleman and all other interested parties to ensure that all necessary funding is available to complete the hospital on schedule.
Mr. JINDAL. I want to thank my colleague and thank the committee. With this agreement, I am willing to withdraw this amendment.
My understanding was there was some confusion in the initial estimates about the actual cost of constructing a parking garage that might have caused an inflated estimate.
I do thank my colleagues for being willing to work with me to make sure this facility is reconstructed as quickly as possible so the veterans can get the health care they deserve. I thank my colleagues. I thank the Chairman.
Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw my amendment.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. Without objection, the amendment is withdrawn.
There was no objection.
AMENDMENT OFFERED BY MR. JINDAL
Mr. JINDAL. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
Amendment offered by Mr. Jindal:
Under the heading ``Disaster Relief'' in chapter 4 of title II, insert after the dollar amount on page 59, line 1, the following: ``(reduced by $142,271,000)''.
Under the heading ``Military Construction, Army National Guard'' in chapter 6 of title II, insert after the dollar amount on page 66, line 12, the following: ``(increased by $142,271,000)''.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to the order of the House of Wednesday, March 15, 2006, the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Jindal) and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Louisiana.
Mr. JINDAL. Mr. Chairman, I again intend to offer and then withdraw this amendment pursuant to a colloquy with my colleagues.
The purpose of this amendment, but before I do that, I want to explain the rationale and importance of this amendment. I have offered an amendment to provide funding requested in the amount of $142 million to allow the reconstruction of the National Guard facilities in New Orleans, Louisiana. Replacement of these facilities are absolutely critical for the function of the Louisiana Army National Guard.
Hurricane Katrina severely damaged these facilities, so that they must be replaced. These units are now currently in temporary interim facilities and have less than half the required training area and storage facilities. These makeshift facilities are overcrowded and disjointed in terms of the capacities they offer. Proper facilities need to be constructed immediately to prevent further deterioration of the equipment.
On August 29, 2005, the Jackson Barracks, in particular, suffered massive flooding from Hurricane Katrina. Several weeks later, after the floodwaters had subsided from the hurricane, the readiness centers were again flooded from Hurricane Rita. Together these two hurricanes caused extreme catastrophic damage to the readiness centers that housed the Joint Force Headquarters and the 1/141 Field Artillery Battalion. Portions of each facility were completely destroyed, suffering from building collapses, collapses as a result of the storm's wind, rains and floodwaters.
The damage inflicted upon the readiness center and all other facilities on the Jackson Barracks has rendered them completely useless. The 512 soldiers of the Field Artillery Battalion and the 216 soldiers of the Joint Forces Headquarters are now operating out of small corner spaces in numerous buildings spread across the State of Louisiana until interim facilities can be provided for these units affected by these hurricanes.
These interim facilities should be ready for use in a few short months. However, they will be nothing close to what is authorized or required to provide for mission ready combat units of the United States Army. The Field Artillery Battalion will have less than a quarter of its authorized square feet required for unit training assemblies and a readiness center for a unit of its size. This is the space needed to provide the facilities needed for the unit to meet its wartime training requirements.
The unit will share this space with another unit as well. Not only will it have a quarter of the space, it will be sharing the space with another unit. This heavily cramped facility, though, we are grateful for this in the aftermath of the storm, will hardly satisfy the long-term mission capability for the two units.
Over time, readiness levels to meet training requirements, retention and recruiting will all suffer greatly. Moreover space required to store unit equipment is insufficient. These same issues have also plagued the Joint Force Headquarters.
The post-hurricane plan for the Joint Force Headquarters has resulted in splitting the headquarters into several locations. This strategy is important for recovery of the State. However, facilities for the operation of the headquarters are not available to consolidate the organization at each location. These long-term operations will not be acceptable as this will result in critical management issues for the Joint Headquarters mission providing command and control to the Louisiana National Guard. This will result in poor oversight provided by the headquarters which could significantly affect the readiness for the National Guard.
My amendment seeks to restore the administration's request to rebuild these facilities in New Orleans. Replacement of these facilities should be provided to sustain the readiness posture of the Louisiana Army National Guard. Hurricane Katrina has severely damaged the facilities and these facilities must be replaced, and certainly, we need to send a signal to the Guard that we want to help them increase their readiness even before next hurricane season.
Many of my colleagues have done me the honor and privilege of coming to my state on CODELs to see the damage. Many of you have landed at Jackson Barracks and been accompanied by Louisiana Army National Guard members on your tours. Many of you have seen the heroic footage of what they did in the aftermath of the storm to rescue people out of the water. Many of you are very aware of their extreme sacrifice serving us overseas in Iraq.
Mr. Chairman, I want to enter into a colloquy with my colleagues. My understanding is the committee will work with me once information is provided from the Louisiana Army National Guard to make sure that these facilities are indeed rebuilt and repaired.
Mr. WALSH. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?
Mr. JINDAL. I yield to the gentleman from New York.
Mr. WALSH. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I appreciate his great concern for the National Guard facilities in the City of New Orleans and the State of Louisiana. We will continue to work on this issue as we move towards conference, and I am convinced we can resolve all the questions as we complete the work in the conference.
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