Rep. Mike Levin Delivers House Floor Speech on California Wildfires & Republicans’ Proposal to Attach Conditions to Disaster Aid
Watch full Floor speech here
Washington, D.C.- Today, Rep. Mike Levin (CA-49) delivered a speech on the House Floor on the devastating wildfires in California and House Republicans’ proposal to condition disaster aid on raising the debt ceiling.
Watch the full House Floor speech here. Full remarks as prepared for delivery below.
“Mr. Speaker, some House Republicans are threatening to withhold disaster aid to California unless certain unknown conditions are met. There’s even talk about attaching disaster aid to an increase in the debt ceiling.
“Never in our nation’s history has the federal government placed such politically driven conditions on disaster aid to our own citizens.
“We can have good faith debates about water policy and infrastructure deficiencies, and we should. But that’s not what this is about.
“This is a bad faith effort to use California as a punching bag. This is about the promotion of half-truths, conspiracy theories, and outright lies.
“Not to mention it’s a way out for House Republicans.
“They can’t raise the debt ceiling on their own, so they want to tie that to disaster aid. It’s unconscionable.
“To my Republican friends, it’s unacceptable and downright shameful to use the suffering of Californians in need- or anyone in need- to solve your internal political disputes.
“Please stop playing games and let’s get the disaster aid to the people who need it, now.
“I yield back.”
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