WASHINGTON, D.C. – During the past 10 days, Congressman Andy Barr has addressed legislation involving Hurricane Sandy relief with three principles in mind: 1) Providing storm victims with the federal assistance they need; 2) Ensuring that additional disaster relief spending is offset with savings from other federal programs; and 3) Achieving structural reform in federal disaster relief programs, so as to ensure our nation’s long-term capacity to assist disaster victims.
“As I have traveled throughout the Sixth District, people have asked me repeatedly to stand firm for common sense and fiscal responsibility by finding ways to pay for what the federal government spends,” Barr said. “If we work long enough and try hard enough, we will find a way to immediately assist disaster victims without further bankrupting America.”
Congressman Barr continues to seek solutions that will improve the efficient delivery of disaster relief, while continuing to insist on a congressional commitment to fiscal responsibility.
- On January 14, Barr voted in favor of H.R. 219; bipartisan legislation which passed the House that streamlines disaster relief efforts; increasing the speed and reducing the costs of disaster relief. H.R. 219 permanently adopts pilot programs which change how the Federal Emergency Management Agency addresses the challenges of temporary housing and debris removal, while reforming environmental review and other factors that impact the time and expense associated with rebuilding efforts.
- Yesterday, Barr voted in favor of an amendment offered by Congressman Mick Mulvaney (R-SC), which paid for $17 billion in proposed disaster relief by reducing overall federal discretionary spending by just over 1.6 percent. Subsequently, another amendment passed that added another $33 billion in spending; 80 percent of which will not occur until after September 30, 2014. Congressman Barr voted against the latter amendment, as well as the overarching bill, because of the absence of offsetting spending cuts and because of the substantial presence of spending unrelated to the needs of current storm victims.
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