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2005 Ron Paul Chapter 96
Not linked on Ron Paul’s Congressional website.
Congressional Record [.PDF]
Statement On H.R. 3673, Making Emergency Supplemental Appropriations For 2005
8 September 2005
HON. RON PAUL
OF TEXAS
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Thursday, September 8, 2005
2005 Ron Paul 96:1
Mr. PAUL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this ill-considered $51.8 billion disaster relief
appropriation. Many have come to the floor
today to discuss how we must help the victims
of this terrible disaster and its aftermath. But
why do they think that the best way to do so
is simply to write a huge check to the very
government agency that failed so spectacularly?
This does not make sense. We have all
seen the numerous articles detailing the
seemingly inexcusable mistakes FEMA
made — before and after the hurricane. Yet, in
typical fashion, Congress seems to think that
the best way to fix the mess is to throw money
at the very government agency that failed.
2005 Ron Paul 96:2
Mr. Speaker, considering the demonstrated ineptitude of government on both the Federal
and State level in this disaster, the people affected
by the hurricane and subsequent flood
would no doubt be better off if relief money
was simply sent directly to them or to community
organizations dedicated to clean-up and
reconstruction. Indeed, we have seen numerous
examples of private organizations and individuals
attempting to help their fellow Americans
in so many ways over the last 10 days,
only to be turned back by FEMA or held up for
days by government red tape. We have seen
in previous disasters how individuals and non-
governmental organizations were often among
the first to pitch in and help their neighbors
and fellow citizens. Now, FEMA is sending
these good Samaritans a troubling message:
stay away, let us handle it.
2005 Ron Paul 96:3
In several disasters that have befallen my Gulf Coast district, my constituents have over
and over again told me that they prefer to rebuild
and recover without the “help” of Federal
agencies like FEMA, which so often impose
their own bureaucratic solutions on the owners
of private property.
2005 Ron Paul 96:4
Mr. Speaker, we see here once again the Federal Government attempting to impose a
topdown solution to the disaster. No one is
questioning from where this $52 billion will
come. The answer, of course, is that the Federal
Government is going to simply print the
money up. There are no reductions in Federal
spending elsewhere to free up this disaster
aid. Rather, the money will come from a printing
press. The economic devastation created
by such a reckless approach may well be
even more wide-reaching than the disaster
this bill is meant to repair.
2005 Ron Paul 96:5
I ask my colleagues to consider more constructive ways to help New Orleans and the
other affected areas recover from this tragedy.
There are numerous approaches, such as the
creation of no-tax enterprise zones, that would
attract private enterprise and capital to the
area and would result in a much quicker and
more responsive recovery. The citizens of the
affected area and the rest of the country deserve
a more sustainable and financially rational
approach than simply printing and
spending money.
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