Mr. PAYNE. I am very dismayed by what I have heard tonight. Citizens of this Nation--any of us--would think at a time of natural disaster they could depend on their Congress, their Nation, the people of this country. Many times, we have come to the aid of citizens throughout this Nation. Why not now? What is different now? New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and parts of Pennsylvania have been devastated. My district not as much, but we still have issues there that need to be addressed.
Just the other day, I was on vacation with my children, and I got a call. There was a leak in the roof of my house. I did not realize there was about a 10-foot patch in my roof missing--from Sandy. I had the wherewithal to take care of it, but there are hundreds of thousands of residents in those States who need our help.
I was told by a Member of this body, who was laid to rest this year, that this was a great body to serve in. Please let me know that he was telling the truth.