Figures Issues Statement on House Floor Opposing Republican Efforts to Condition Disaster Aid
WASHINGTON – Today, Rep. Shomari C. Figures (AL-02), spoke on the House floor in opposition to Republican efforts to add conditions to emergency disaster aid for people impacted by the Los Angeles wildfires. Rep. Figures, who was raised on the Gulf Coast of Alabama, understands how critical it is to have unconditional disaster relief. During his speech, Rep. Figures implored Republicans to put aside politics and treat Los Angeles’ communities how they would want to be treated if the people in their district needed emergency assistance.
Watch Rep. Figures floor statement on YouTube.
Below are Rep. Figures’ remarks, as delivered, on the House floor today:
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I rise today to first pay honor and respect to all of those who paved the way and had a hand and responsibility for me being able to stand here today as a member of Congress—a place where I could not stand in this capacity when this building was constructed. Both those historical figures, as well as those who more presently were actively involved in supporting and praying for and campaigning for us to be here. That includes my wife, Dr. Kalisha Dessources Figures, who I certainly would not be here without her support.
I also rise to say happy birthday to my mother, whom I call Mama. She celebrated a birthday while we were not in session, and I would both literally and figuratively wouldn’t be here without her. So, Mama, thank you, I love you, and happy birthday.
It’s fitting—could not be more fitting—for me to be here and be discussing my mother because one of the lessons that she repetitively ingrained in us as children was the concept of treating others the way you want to be treated. Treat others how you would like to be treated in the same or similar circumstances, and unfortunately, we find ourselves in a predicament as it relates to wildfire aid to California where too many colleagues and our President is not abiding by that baseline principle.
I’m just a freshman here, and so, you know, there’s the question of what do I know about how things work here? You know, I’m still learning where the bathrooms are, as they say. So, I don’t have the relationships, I don’t understand the dynamics, I don’t know how things move here yet.
But here’s what I do know.
I know about decency. I know about compassion. I know that when you come from a community like mine on the Gulf of Mexico that names like Camille, Frederic, Ivan, Danny, and Katrina, they mean a little something different to you. I know that I come from a community where the average individual median income—or the median individual income—is just south of $32,000. People cannot afford to just up and rebuild their lives with out disaster aid. I know when you come from where I come from, it’s not a question of if you will be hit by a disaster—it is a matter of when. It’s not a matter of if your community will need federal disaster aid—it is a matter of how much you will need and how fast we can get it there.
And so, I stand here today in support of standing with California because I know that by standing for California, I am standing for Alabama. By standing for Los Angeles, I am standing for cities like Mobile and Leroy and Jackson and Evergreen and Monroeville and Montgomery and Tuskegee and Eufaula and Phenix City and Union Springs.
I know enough—even as a freshman—to know that one day, the shoe will be on the other foot. I know that we will not always find ourselves in the dynamics we have now, where Republicans will be in control of the House. One day, Democrats will be in control. A Republican community will be in need of disaster aid, and not a single Republican who now supports applying restrictions and conditions onto this aid will then stand up and say that we should apply conditions to that aid.
It is not right. It is unnecessary. And quite frankly, it is un-American. It is not who we are.
We pride ourselves on the cornerstones of the religion that most of us claim to abide by in this House—those cornerstones of grace, and mercy, and compassion. We pride ourselves on being able to say that we live in a country where we have the backs of the people that call themselves Americans as well.
This is not like us. It simply is not.
California pays the most in federal taxes of any state in this union. They subsidize most of the states—or many of the states, rather—including the state of the Speaker of the House of Representatives and Alabama.
We need to be there for them.
I know that today, the “L.A.” that needs help stands for Los Angeles. But tomorrow, that L.A. could be Louisiana. Or it could be Lower Alabama, as some people call back home. Or it could be F.L.A., as in Florida.
We have to stand up for California now. We have to do better.
So as a freshman, I don’t know much.
But I know what my mama taught me.
And I know this ain’t it.
And I know this is not what the mothers of my colleagues taught them.
So, we have to put aside the partisan nonsense and do right by the American people—because one day, one day, your community will be in need as well.
I yield back Mr. Speaker.