CONGRESSIONAL RECORD— Extensions of Remarks E309 HON
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
March 5, 2014 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E309 is the result of too little attention paid to the HOMEOWNER FLOOD INSURANCE munity development. Nearly seventy percent warning signs because of preoccupation with AFFORDABILITY ACT OF 2014 of Missouri’s taxpayer funded research is pro- one of the many crises in the two Sudans. duced by the land grant universities. This in- SPEECH OF Over the last three decades, I and other formation is used to enhance vital industries committee and subcommittee chairs have held HON. KATHY CASTOR like agriculture, business, and healthcare. The numerous hearings on Sudan—from the OF FLORIDA state of Missouri has benefitted immensely North-South civil war to the Darfur conflict to IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES through the active role of the Extension pro- the fighting in Abyei, Southern Kordofan and Tuesday, March 4, 2014 grams which equip our communities with vital Blue Nile to the current conflict in South information and educational programs. Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise For the advances made possible in Missouri Sudan. All this attention is more than justified, to urge all of my colleagues to pass H.R. and across the nation by the Cooperative Ex- but our approach to addressing them has 3370, the Homeowner Flood Insurance Afford- tension Service, it is my pleasure to recognize been intermittent. Too often, each crisis is ability Act. the 100th Anniversary of the National Cooper- seen as a problem unto itself, unrelated to If this bill passes we will keep middle class ative Extensions in the House of Representa- other issues in these two countries. families in their homes, bring relief to our local tives. economy and provide needed reliability to mid- In fact, successive administrations and Con- f gresses, advocacy groups and humanitarian dle class friends and neighbors. organizations have focused so much on indi- Since November 2013, I have urged action UNITED STATES-ISRAEL STRA- vidual crises and issues that no one has cre- on flood insurance on every bill that moved TEGIC PARTNERSHIP ACT OF 2014 ated a panoramic view which shows how all through the Rules Committee to the floor of SPEECH OF these individual crises interrelate with each the U.S. House. other. This ‘‘stovepiping’’ of government policy Families who were facing massive flood in- HON. LOIS FRANKEL and public attention has meant that long-term surance premium increases will now be able OF FLORIDA to breathe easier. The reforms will help ensure solutions have been neglected while short- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that flood insurance will be there in times of term eruptions have had to be dealt with. In Tuesday, March 4, 2014 reality, the two Sudans are inexorably linked disaster. and no crisis in either can be resolved suc- This legislation allows individuals purchasing Ms. FRANKEL of Florida. Mr. Speaker, any- cessfully without taking into account the entire covered homes to also assume the predeter- one who turns on the news for even a few Sudan-South Sudan panorama. mined rates and restores grandfathered prop- minutes will see our good friend Israel in a re- erties under prior law so that owners would gion of chaos and unrest. We must end this cycle of myopic policy for- pay rates applicable to the original flood risk. War in Syria—with refugees pouring into mulation based on the crisis of the moment We have learned that we must keep a close Turkey, Jordan, and Lebanon. Violence in and adopt a long-term, holistic vision of what eye on FEMA and flood maps and this legisla- Iraq. Upheaval in Egypt. And of course, the the best interest of the people of Sudan and tion gives us more tools to do so. I credit the threat of nuclear advancement in Iran. South Sudan demands—indeed, what would outcry many of our neighbors, realtors, cham- And yet, Israel remains a strong, stable, and be in the best interest of the entire region. bers of commerce and others who helped reliable ally. As we learned in our subcommittee hearing focus the pressure on the Republican leaders More than ever, we must do all we can to on the Sahel crisis last May, Islamic extrem- in Congress to act. strengthen our critical relationship. ists have their sights set on making inroads This has been an anxious time for home- H.R. 938, the United States-Israel Strategic wherever there is conflict, across the belt of owners, but the immense pressure by families Partnership Act of 2013, will do just that. Central Africa stretching from Senegal to and the business community on the House It designates Israel as a ‘‘major strategic Sudan and beyond. Continuing unrest in the GOP was an effort that paid off. This Con- partner’’ and increases our mutually beneficial two Sudans only serves to provide training gress has an unfortunate reputation for not ad- cooperation in the areas of energy, science, grounds or bases of operation for terrorists. dressing the challenges that middle class fam- water, agriculture, alternative fuel tech- Hardened ethnic conflict can spread to long- ilies face. Today, we can come together to do nologies, and homeland security. term enmity that no peace agreement alone just that. At a time of deep political division in Con- can resolve. Hopefully, this will not be the I thank my Florida colleagues who worked gress, this bill has across the board support, case in South Sudan, but that conflict is head- in a bipartisan manner to bring relief to more with 351 cosponsors, a reflection that our alli- ed in that ominous direction. than two million National Flood Insurance Pro- ance with Israel is rooted in shared national gram policyholders in our state and I urge a interests, common values of democracy and Two years ago, I held a meeting in my of- ‘‘yes’’ vote on the bill. freedom, and a recognition that the same fice with representatives from Sudan’s Nubian, f forces threatening Israel also threaten the Darfuri, Beja and Nuba communities, who all United States. believe that Khartoum is engaged in a long- 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NA- I urge my colleagues to join me in sup- term effort to exterminate non-Arab Sudanese. TIONAL COOPERATIVE EXTEN- porting H.R. 938. Have we missed such a pernicious campaign SION SERVICE f while hopping from one crisis to another as each appeared? HON. JASON T. SMITH NAGORNO KARABAKH ANTONOMOUS REGION OF AZER- The purpose of last week’s hearing was to OF MISSOURI BAIJAN examine current U.S. policy toward Sudan and IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES South Sudan to see how we can unify our pol- Wednesday, March 5, 2014 HON. JUDY CHU icy in order to more effectively end long-run- Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I rise ning tragedies that appear get worse despite OF CALIFORNIA today to honor the 100th Anniversary of the IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES all the busy attention to which we pay them. National Cooperative Extension Service. The This involves more than what the Department Smith-Lever Act of 1914 created this edu- Wednesday, March 5, 2014 of State and other executive agencies do, or cational partnership which began between the Ms. CHU. Mr. Speaker, twenty-six years even what support Congress can provide. Ad- U.S. Department of Agriculture and the na- ago, the Nagorno Karabakh Autonomous Re- vocacy and humanitarian organizations also tion’s land-grant universities. The Cooperative gion of Azerbaijan petitioned to become part must join government in seeing the forest and Extension Service grants state universities of Armenia. Their desire to determine their not just the trees, so to speak. funds to produce significant research which is own future was met with brutal force and vio- We must develop, support and implement available for the use of the public across the lence that was tragically reminiscent to events policies toward Sudan and South Sudan that nation. In addition, research based education preceding the Armenian Genocide. make sense in the long term and not just programs have improved the lives of many For the next two years, the Armenian popu- produce temporarily satisfying peace accords through the advancements made in farming, lation was the target of racially motivated po- that have no sustainability. Peace and pros- business, health services, and emergency groms. Hundreds were murdered, many more perity for both countries are linked, and we management. were wounded, and the Armenian community must act accordingly. The hearing, we hope, In the Show-Me State, the Missouri Exten- still grapples with the scars from the horrific will serve to highlight what must be done. sion Services have been fundamental to com- attacks in Sumgait, Kirovabad, and Baku. VerDate Mar 15 2010 04:28 Mar 06, 2014 Jkt 039060 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 9920 E:\CR\FM\A05MR8.016 E05MRPT1 smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with REMARKS E310 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks March 5, 2014 On February 20, 1988, Nagorno Karabakh contributions to our communities are equally PERSONAL EXPLANATION began its national liberation movement with a impactful. Tom dedicated his time and energy resolution to secede from Azerbaijan, and on to numerous nonprofit agencies including the HON. LUIS V. GUTIE´RREZ December 10, 1991, Nagorno Karabakh offi- Clay Center for the Arts and Sciences, Tama- OF ILLINOIS cially declared independence, becoming a rack Foundation, United Way of West Virginia, IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES democratic state committed to freedom and Hospice, Charleston Area Medical Center, and respect for human rights. But today, the peo- the American Cancer Society. He served on Wednesday, March 5, 2014 ple of Nagorno Karabakh are still forced to live the Lewisburg Building Commission, West Vir- Mr.