Senate Proceeding on Sep 16th, 2009 :: 3:29:35 to 3:34:15
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3:29:31 to 3:29:51( Edit History Discussion )

Mary Landrieu: hours left to get it to us so we can wor it out. thank you, madam president. i yiel ms. landrieu: th madam president? the presiding officer: the senator from louisiana. ms. landrieu: thank you, madam president. i appreciate the chairman allowing me the opportunity to offer this amendment and also working with senator bond, who i understand supports this amendment as well.

3:29:35 to 3:34:15( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Mary Landrieu

3:29:52 to 3:30:13( Edit History Discussion )

Mary Landrieu: and i offer this amendment on behalf not only of myself but senator harkin, senators hutchison, senator grassley, and senator cornyn. so we have a strong bipartisan group of senators that's coming to the floor to ask our colleagues to approve a amendment that has to do with a change and modification in the

3:30:14 to 3:30:35( Edit History Discussion )

Mary Landrieu: community development block grant program that has been put in place to help communities recovering for and from disasters. this amendment affect all communities in a positive way across the country that were -- that received community development block grant funding in a very

3:30:36 to 3:30:56( Edit History Discussion )

Mary Landrieu: significant way. if this amendment is passed by this bill, the comnities that have received special allocations of community developm will be able to use those funds to match other federal funds available.

3:30:57 to 3:31:17( Edit History Discussion )

Mary Landrieu: this is the way the normal community development block grant program has operated, i understand, since its chart, in every single situation except for two in the last 17 years, that has been the case. so my amendment is basically

3:31:18 to 3:31:38( Edit History Discussion )

Mary Landrieu: allowing the floods and natural disasters of 2008 to be included in this -- in this effort. to -- in other words, to say, if you receive community development block grant funding, you can use those funds as a local and state match for other federal funding. this is important for two

3:31:39 to 3:31:59( Edit History Discussion )

Mary Landrieu: reasons. one, it's been done in that way the last 17 years, for good reason, because these communities, you could argue, have even greater challenges than normal considering that in any time housing or to build roads or to help their small businesses get

3:32:00 to 3:32:20( Edit History Discussion )

Mary Landrieu: back on their feet. but after a catastrophic disaster, it's sometimes five if not ten times harder. so why when -- at the time when they need the greatest flexibility? and that's all that this amendment does again, this is the way it's been done in general community development block grants since

3:32:21 to 3:32:41( Edit History Discussion )

Mary Landrieu: the beginning of the program. it's the way it was done with disaster community in eve simply will make that uniform policy for the states affected by the 2008 disaster. this will be a great help to

3:32:42 to 3:33:02( Edit History Discussion )

Mary Landrieu: texas that is still recovering from t storm i'll be visiting and having a field hearing through my subcommittee both on small business and disaste. senator hutchison will be attending that field hearing and visit to galveston just on friday. so this -- approval of this

3:33:03 to 3:33:23( Edit History Discussion )

Mary Landrieu: amendment would bring a lot of hope and encouragement to the people along the gulf coast, not just in louisiana but, as i said, in texas as well. california wi benefited as well as iowa and some of the states that were affected by the floods. so, again, this is amendment 2365. i will submit a more formal statement to theecord, but i

3:33:24 to 3:33:44( Edit History Discussion )

Mary Landrieu: think my explanation was sufficient about what this amendment doe help it will be to mayors and parish officials and county officials struggling to rebuild. and what a smart way to use and to leverage moneys to get these communities rebuilt quickly for people in these very difficult economic times.

3:33:45 to 3:34:05( Edit History Discussion )

Mary Landrieu: and i yield the floor. i see my good friend, senator the presiding officer: has the senator offered the amendment? ms. landrieu: yes, i believe i have, but if i have not, let me submit it at this time, amendment to read the the presiding officer: the clerk will report amendment. the clerk: the senator from louisiana,

3:34:06 to 3:34:15( Edit History Discussion )

Mary Landrieu: herself and others, proposes an amendment numbered 2365. ms. landrieu: and i suggest we don't have to read the whole amendment and we'll leave it lying until we can vote on it later today. the presiding officer: without objection.