SoVote

The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Carol Hughes)

Jan/31/22 4:30:47 p.m.
Watch

Order. The hon. member for Nanaimo—Ladysmith for a quick question.

12 words

Ms. Lisa Marie Barron (Nanaimo—Ladysmith, NDP)

Jan/31/22 4:30:54 p.m.
Watch

Madam Speaker, one thing I did not hear about in the member's speech was seniors. Specifically in my riding of Nanaimo—Ladysmith, seniors are losing their homes because of clawbacks to their GIS supplements. Canada's most cash-strapped seniors are being punished for receiving much-needed emergency pandemic benefits while companies rake in profits and sit on public funds off the backs of everyday Canadians, including at-risk seniors. Can the member share when the government will do what is right and stop punishing seniors by excluding emergency pandemic benefits from the calculation of GIS eligibility?

99 words

The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Carol Hughes)

Jan/31/22 4:31:35 p.m.
Watch

I would like to remind members that, when I ask for a brief question, if they could pose a brief question, as there will only be 30 seconds left. That question took almost a minute. The hon. member for Kings—Hants has time for a brief response.

48 words

Questions and comments period

Mr. Kody Blois

Jan/31/22 4:31:45 p.m.
Watch

Madam Speaker, I will try to respond very quickly. This government introduced important measures for guaranteed income supplements in the 42nd Parliament. We strengthened old age security. We have a platform commitment to increase GIS by $500 per year. We did announce as part of the economic update before Christmas that we would be addressing this issue. Our government will stay true to its word, and I appreciate the member raising it here today in the House.

77 words

Ms. Valerie Bradford (Kitchener South—Hespeler, Lib.)

Jan/31/22 4:32:26 p.m.
Watch

Mr. Speaker, I am humbled and honoured to rise today for the first time in this special place as the member of Parliament for Kitchener South—Hespeler. I am grateful to the fine people of Kitchener South—Hespeler for placing their faith in me to represent them and to be their strong voice in Ottawa. I am also honoured to serve with fellow members from across Canada who have been chosen to represent the interests of their fellow Canadians. Of course, nobody arrives at this place on their own, and I owe a debt of gratitude to my three children. Brad and Allison encouraged and supported me from the beginning and worked hard on my nomination and election campaigns, and Ian cheered me on from a distance in Houston. I am in fact what I refer to as a “late onset politician”. I followed my son Brad, a Toronto councillor, into this line of work, and he was very instrumental in helping me to achieve this lifelong goal. I would also like to thank my tireless team of volunteers, who stretched from Ottawa, Toronto, Kitchener-Waterloo and all the way to Windsor. Many of them were with me right from the beginning when I first sought the nomination well over a year ago and stayed with me throughout the journey. I would not be standing here today without their dedication, enthusiasm, hard work and determination. Some of them have now transitioned into staff members in my constituency and Hill offices. They continue to serve the residents of Kitchener South—Hespeler. My journey to this place has been a long and winding road. I grew up on a dairy farm near Dunnville, Ontario, where I learned the value of hard work and responsibility at an early age. For the past two decades, however, I have called the region of Waterloo home. Over my working life, I have been able to experience working in a number of careers, both in the public and private sectors. These included the tourism industry, financial services, real estate, media and municipal government. Most recently, I spent the last 15 years working in the field of economic development for the great city of Kitchener, focusing on business development in the manufacturing sector, which is still the largest sector of the local economy. Public service is my passion, and I am excited to have the opportunity to continue my commitment to public service in this new way. Life, for me, has not always been easy. I suddenly found myself a single parent when my children were ages three, six and seven. It was a struggle raising three children on my own without a safety net, as I did not have family close by who could help out on a regular basis or on short notice. Failure was not an option. There was no plan B. I know many Canadians are facing these challenges today. I have been there and I empathize with those struggling to balance family, finances and careers. These past two years have only made it harder. This is why I am so passionate about our government’s early learning and affordable child care plan, which will enable parents, primarily women, to participate fully in the economy, as they are able. Not only is it the right thing to do, but it makes sense from an economic standpoint. The best thing the government can do to get more women into the workforce, close the gender gap and build our economy is to provide more affordable child care. Canada is at its best when all individual Canadians are at their best and able to fully utilize their skills. Our government is committed to delivering on this and has successfully completed agreements with all provinces and territories, save Ontario. It is a shame that Ontario families are the only ones left out at this point. Rest assured, our government will continue to pursue affordable child care for the children and families of Ontario so that no one is left behind. Another area of focus for me is that of workforce development. I had the privilege of serving on the Workforce Planning Board of Waterloo Wellington Dufferin for eight years, including the past three years were as its chair. It is critical for the success of Canada and our economy that everyone has the opportunity to reach their full potential and enjoy meaningful work that they are trained and equipped to succeed in. This is a very achievable goal, but it will require the involvement and co-operation of all levels of government. The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated that this is indeed possible. We need to continue that level of collaboration and co-operation to help all Canadians succeed and prosper. Canada is at its best when individual Canadians are at their best and are able to participate fully to their maximum potential. I believe the federal government can do great things when it listens to people, takes action and supports our most vulnerable. Let us build a future where everyone can succeed and let us build it together. I am looking forward to working with members from all sides of the House to make this happen for Canadians. The recent unanimous passage of the bill banning conversion therapy demonstrates what can be accomplished when we set aside our differences, put the needs of Canadians first and work together for the benefit of all. Canadians expect and deserve no less.

918 words

All Topics

Mr. Brad Vis (Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon, CPC)

Jan/31/22 4:38:22 p.m.
Watch

Madam Speaker, I would like to congratulate the member for Kitchener South—Hespeler on her very first speech in the House of Commons. One thing she said really stuck out to me, and that was that we need to work together in the House. Under the Liberal government, the cost of housing in her community in the fourth quarter of last year went up 36.2%. Is the hon. member willing to work with the Conservatives to reverse some of the negative policies put forward by the government, and the inaction in not addressing the housing supply crisis that we find ourselves in, in Canada today? It is impacting those young mothers who want to go to work, but they do not have a safe place to raise their families anymore because it costs over a million bucks to get a home.

143 words

Ms. Valerie Bradford

Jan/31/22 4:39:10 p.m.
Watch

Madam Speaker, I share the hon. member's concern about housing affordability. Unfortunately, the rest of the world has discovered what a wonderful place the Waterloo region is to live. However, our government has done a number of things to address this. In fact, it was our government that first announced the national housing strategy, a 10-year plan to invest over $72 billion to give more Canadians a place to call home. Launched in 2017, it would create up to 160,000 new homes, meet the housing needs of 530,000 families, and repair and renew more than 300,000 units. We also have the rapid housing initiative. The first round exceeded its initial target of creating up to 3,000 new affordable units. It has actually resulted in the construction of more than 4,700 units across Canada since October 2020. Expanding on this successful initiative, 10,000 new affordable housing units will be created across the country through the rapid housing initiative, exceeding the initial goal of 7,500 new units. Most of these housing units will be constructed within the next 12-18 months. We are also introducing a new rent-to-own program that will help people who cannot accumulate a down payment or meet the requirements for a mortgage to be able to buy their houses over time.

224 words

Mr. Matthew Green (Hamilton Centre, NDP)

Jan/31/22 4:40:45 p.m.
Watch

Madam Speaker, I would also like to congratulate the hon. member for her maiden speech in the House. We heard her speak at length about when Canada is at its best. We have watched a kind of disproportionate response: the coddling of white nationalists on the footsteps of Parliament juxtaposed with the kind of violence that has been unleashed against indigenous people across these lands fighting for their freedoms. In these upcoming weeks and months, as we debate these critical issues in the House to ensure true reconciliation, and the reckoning of the thousands of bodies of children who have been recovered at residential schools and the ongoing police violence used against indigenous peoples of these lands, what will the hon. member be doing to move toward the place that she talks about when Canada is at its best?

139 words

Ms. Valerie Bradford

Jan/31/22 4:41:37 p.m.
Watch

Madam Speaker, I share the hon. member's concern. The residential schools, which we should not refer to as schools because that is not what schools do, are a shame on all of us. I am honoured and privileged to have the Anishnabeg Outreach centre in my riding of Kitchener South—Hespeler. It has done a lot of work on reconciliation and outreach not only in the indigenous communities, but with all members of the community. As Stephen Jackson likes to mention, in order to reconcile, we have to heal on both sides. We are hurting too, and we feel shame when we see what has happened. We are all united in making sure that it never happens again. This will not happen overnight. The problem was not created overnight. It will take a lot of work with all sides of the House working together through this painful journey and supporting our indigenous brothers and sisters as they come to terms with it.

164 words

Mr. Dan Mazier (Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa, CPC)

Jan/31/22 4:42:47 p.m.
Watch

Madam Speaker, as this is the first time I am rising in the House since being elected, I want to thank the constituents of Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa for once again placing their trust in me to be their voice in Parliament. I give special thanks to my campaign team for running a successful operation in a riding geographically larger than the entire province of Nova Scotia and with over 200 rural communities. I would also like to thank my family, and in particular my wife Leigh for her unwavering support. I have been asked by many constituents what the purpose of a throne speech is. I tell them that the throne speech is supposed to be a guiding document that will pave the way for the priorities of the government in the upcoming parliamentary session. In other words, it is the plan. It is supposed to be a clear strategy of how the government will improve the lives of Canadians and will improve this nation. Once Canadians understand what a throne speech is supposed to be, they may ask themselves: Does this plan help me? Does it empower me to make a living and provide for my children? They may ask themselves if the throne speech will enable their parents to live out their golden years as planned or if the plan will unite the country. However, if they had read this throne speech, they would be asking themselves where that plan was. If the Prime Minister spoke to Canadians across the country today and asked whether life was getting better for them, he would hear the majority say that life was not getting easier. In a recent poll by Angus Reid, 57% of Canadians described feeding their family as “difficult”, and only 8% of Canadians expected to be better off financially at this time next year. It is clear that life is not getting easier under the Liberal government, and life is certainly not getting easier for rural Canadians. Life may be getting easier for some. For example, life may be getting easier if one is a well-connected Liberal insider or a friend of the Prime Minister. Of course, with this pandemic, we have seen government kickbacks to insiders and billions of dollars more paid to consultants, but the people I represent are not these people. I represent hard-working, everyday Canadians who are slow to anger and do not ask for much. They are Canadians who believe in hard work, Canadians who want to give back to their community and support one another, and Canadians who believe in personal responsibility. I read the throne speech, and I did not see a plan for them. What is the plan for seniors? Many of the people I represent are seniors. They have worked hard their entire lives to help build the country that we know today, but seniors in this country feel left behind, and I understand why. As a matter of fact, the word “seniors” was only mentioned once in the entire throne speech. Our aging population is only growing and many seniors depend on fixed incomes to get by, but when the costs of everyday essentials such as home heating, groceries and gas are rising at record rates, fixed incomes are stretched to their limits. A senior wrote to me the other day. He stated, “Food prices are out of my pay grade”. How can we as a country allow food to reach prices that are unaffordable? Who are we, as a nation, if we neglect the hard-working individuals who contributed so much to make the nation what it is today? Despite promising not to, this Liberal government will make life even more unaffordable for our seniors by raising the carbon tax again. In a few months, the Liberals will increase the carbon tax for the third time during this pandemic. The prices of propane and natural gas will continue to rise and, as a result, energy poverty will continue to make heating one's home even more unaffordable. If the fixed incomes that our seniors depend on do not grow quickly enough to keep up with inflation, the value of their paycheques becomes worth less and less. It was just last year when our members of the House supported our seniors by voting to increase the old age security benefit. Guess what? The Liberals voted against it. I ask the House what the government's plan is for our seniors, because I do not see one. The narrative given in the throne speech was far different from the reality of what is happening across the nation. We hear language from the government all the time, whether it is “sunny ways” or “we have your back”. However, rarely do we ever see those words turn into action. Words do not solve the problems of Canadians: action does. I found it interesting that in the throne speech the following statement was made: As we move forward on the economy of the future, no worker or region will be left behind. That is right, that is laughable. I will read that statement again because many Canadians will find it very surprising: “no worker or region will be left behind.” I encourage the Prime Minister to ask western Canada if it has been left behind, and to ask the Prairies if they feel they were left behind. I would encourage him to ask all rural Canadians if they have been left behind. I can assure him that they do feel left behind, and they have felt this way for far too long. How can the government say that no worker will be left behind when so many workers have felt neglected since the government took office? For the last six years, there has not been a plan for the Canadian energy worker, there has not been a plan for the Canadian farmer, there has not been a plan for the Canadian fisherman and there has not been a plan for the small business owner. If there has not been a plan for the last six years for the regions and workers who I believe are the engine of our country, why should they believe that a plan exists now? Canadians were also looking for a plan to get our country back on track. They were looking for details on when life would return to normal. Unfortunately, the Prime Minister has normalized lockdowns as the solution to our problems. The Ottawa-knows-best approach can no longer be the path forward. We need to re-evaluate what is working and what is not. Just last week, two of my constituents travelled to the U.S. They are both triple vaccinated and both received negative PCR tests before returning to Canada. However, they were still required to take an at-home test and mail it to the city to get another set of results. As many rural Canadians know, not all courier services operate in rural areas of this country, so as instructed the couple drove to the closest shipping location to their farm to send away their tests. Hours later, to their surprise, an individual from the testing company Ottawa is funding to administer the program showed up to pick up their tests. The designated driver drove over five hours from Winnipeg to pick up tests that were supposed to be sent by mail, and drove back another five hours without the tests. This couple is waiting longer than ever to confirm that they can go back to living their lives normally, despite following all the rules and instructions. Canadians are frustrated, and rightfully so. In conclusion, I think it has become clear that there is no plan. This throne speech does not address the inflation that has fuelled the affordability crisis sweeping across our nation. It does not have a plan to support our seniors who are struggling to make a living on their fixed incomes. This throne speech also has no evidence that the government is going to take rural Canada seriously, and it certainly does not put forth any details of how it is going to make life better for everyday Canadians.

1380 words

All Topics

Mr. Terry Duguid (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Lib.)

Jan/31/22 4:51:36 p.m.
Watch

Madam Speaker, my hon. friend from friendly Manitoba and I have a very common interest on the issue of water, which we talked about extensively on the plane last night. However, I want to challenge the member. He talks about his support for seniors and families, but what the hon. member said did not really square with reality. The member's party voted against reducing the age of eligibility for the CPP, it voted against the Canada child benefit, it voted against an increase for the guaranteed income supplement and also against a middle-class tax cut. I am wondering this: How does the hon. member square the rhetoric that we have heard today with the actual record of the Conservative Party?

122 words

Mr. Dan Mazier

Jan/31/22 4:52:33 p.m.
Watch

Madam Speaker, as far as squaring it off, I do not know how the government justifies charging a carbon tax to seniors on fixed incomes to heat their homes. How can it go up by 100%? The term “energy poverty” was used in the speech. I think he should take that pretty seriously, in my opinion.

58 words

Mr. Yves Perron (Berthier—Maskinongé, BQ)

Jan/31/22 4:53:05 p.m.
Watch

Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for his speech. I found several parts of his speech very interesting, particularly those relating to rural life, the cost of living and especially seniors. I would like to know what he thinks we should do. He mentioned the carbon tax, but I do not think that is the way to go. Would it not be simpler to immediately increase old age pensions starting at the age of 65, without discriminating and without creating two classes of seniors? We have been demanding this for months, but the government is not budging. I am reaching out to my Conservative friends so that we can lead the fight for this. Does my colleague agree?

122 words

Mr. Dan Mazier

Jan/31/22 4:53:48 p.m.
Watch

Madam Speaker, affordability is what this all comes down to for anybody with a fixed income or a moderate income. As soon as inflation hits people who are trying to make ends meet, life becomes more unaffordable. That hurts everybody. People had plans, decades ago, about how they were going to make a living while they were seniors. It has all gone to shambles because of the Liberals' poor policies on addressing their needs.

74 words

Ms. Rachel Blaney (North Island—Powell River, NDP)

Jan/31/22 4:54:29 p.m.
Watch

Madam Speaker, I am incredibly proud to be here representing the tremendous people of North Island—Powell River. I am curious if the member could talk to the House about the fact that so many working seniors who lost their jobs because of the pandemic and applied for the only support that was available, just as every other working Canadian did, lost their guaranteed income supplement as a result. We have seniors who are losing their homes. We have seniors who cannot afford to pay for medication or food. I wonder this: Will the member join my call to have this payment given to seniors across the country today?

110 words

Mr. Dan Mazier

Jan/31/22 4:55:18 p.m.
Watch

Madam Speaker, I have also heard heart-wrenching stories of people having government payments removed. Actually, they are phoning them, saying they owe some money. I look forward to working together with the member in having seniors and their needs addressed.

41 words

Mr. Fraser Tolmie (Moose Jaw—Lake Centre—Lanigan, CPC)

Jan/31/22 4:55:52 p.m.
Watch

Madam Speaker, it is an honour to stand in the House and to speak on behalf of the people of Moose Jaw—Lake Centre—Lanigan. I thank my wife Cassandra, our two beautiful daughters who are watching today, and my family for its love and support. One person who was unable to see me elected was my grandmother. She was instrumental in inspiring me in not only my service as an officer in the Royal Canadian Air Force, but also my service as a city councillor, as a mayor of the City of Moose Jaw and now as a member of Parliament. I am the son of Scottish immigrants who came to Canada to make a better life for themselves and their family. My parents experienced challenges and turmoil with the loss of an infant. It affected their emotional and mental health. As a result, I grew up in a single-parent home where my mother struggled to keep a roof over our heads and food on the table, and suffered from bouts of depression. Growing up below the poverty line for the greater part of my early childhood and early teenage years, I know what it is like to receive a handout. I know what it is like to see nothing under the Christmas tree. Despite what was or was not under the tree, I was always loved. I spoke of my grandmother helping to shape my future by telling me stories of the past. As a young child I would spend my Saturdays with her hearing about my Scottish heritage, my family overseas and the difficulties of enduring the Second World War. She was the greatest storyteller I have ever known. One story had a profound impact on me. It is a constant reminder to me to honour the past and of the responsibility we have to the next generation. My grandmother had to evacuate from the city of Glasgow. She had all of her belongings in one suitcase and the most precious thing in her other hand: my mother. As she waded through the waves of airmen, seamen and soldiers in the train station in Glasgow, an Australian officer came along and escorted her onto the train. As he placed her on the train, he looked at two British soldiers and said to them that if the air raid siren went off, he wanted them to help this woman and her child to the air raid shelter. Not 30 seconds went by and that terrifying sound went off, and those two British soldiers bolted. As my grandmother struggled and my mother started crying, that Australian officer came back and escorted my grandmother to the air raid shelter. They waited out the bombing, and afterward the train was cancelled, so that Australian officer escorted my grandmother and my mother to my great-aunt and great-uncle's tiny flat in Glasgow. They invited him in for tea and shared rations. As he looked around at the size of that flat, he looked at my grandmother and asked if this was what her man was fighting for. I can tell members that it was not what my grandfather was fighting for, it was who and it was for a way of life. This son of Scottish immigrants believes in a better future and opportunity for all Canadians. We are here today debating the throne speech. I want to focus on issues not included in the speech. They are issues important to my riding, such as energy, agriculture, infrastructure spending and honouring our elders. Energy is an important industry in Saskatchewan and it is uniquely positioned to help Canadians recover from the pandemic, yet all the government can talk about is killing ethical energy produced in Canada along with the livelihoods of thousands of Canadians. Another livelihood under attack is agriculture. Agriculture is among the largest industries in Saskatchewan. In my riding it is the largest single employer. It is also a sector largely ignored by the Liberals and left out of the throne speech. A study conducted by the University of Regina says Saskatchewan has experienced a history of drought, including the years 1910, 1914, 1917 to 1921, 1924, 1929, 1931 to 1939, 1958 to 1963, 1967 to 1969, 1974, 1977, 1979 to 1981, 1983 to 1986, 1988 to 1992, 2001 to 2003, 2009 and now 2021. Policy should be there to help us, not punish us. A carbon tax has not solved, and will not solve, the problems farmers are facing today. The solution to their challenge is obvious to them, but not to the Liberal government: It is irrigation. Completing the Lake Diefenbaker irrigation project would create jobs, save livelihoods and generate a financial return. There is a difference between investing in infrastructure projects important to communities that are part of our economic engine and wasting money on projects that are dictated by the Liberal government without consultation. After a year of drought and plummeting income, agriculture does not even warrant a mention from the Liberal government. No one should be surprised by this omission. Let us take a moment to talk about useful and necessary infrastructure projects for local communities. As mayor, I witnessed first-hand how useless the federal government's infrastructure plans for communities have been. Moose Jaw is in the middle of a 20-year project to replace cast iron water mains, which will cost local taxpayers over $120 million. Water is essential to the livelihood of a community. Instead of listening to what the city needed, the Liberals tried to give the city, with a population of 35,000, $15 million for a green transit system. The transit system is already underused and does not meet the community's needs. Moose Jaw needed its 100-year-old cast iron water mains replaced. The current government forgets that water is essential, whether it is drinking water for cities or first nations or irrigation to combat droughts. The international coalition to combat climate change is actually an international coalition for justifying inflation, creating global instability and not actually lowering emissions. The Liberal government is selling us out to other nations that do not have our best interests at heart. What is needed is alignment and collaboration with municipalities and provinces that know where their infrastructure dollars need to be spent. Local solutions are needed for local problems. During my five-year tenure as mayor, we brought in over one billion dollars' worth of investment, creating jobs and prosperity for the community, and we tackled essential infrastructure. That is what is really needed. The Liberal government has lost its way. It has stopped listening to the people who matter and started putting itself first. People feel it is giving up on the next generation, leaving it with more debt and more problems to solve. My parents came here to make better lives for themselves and the next generation. However, seniors today are having that dream taken away from them. They are being asked to sacrifice more and leave less behind. Because of inflation, the equity people have built up in their homes or farms is under attack. Their legacy is being taken away from them. Every generation must be responsible for the time it has been given. This generation is faced with making life better for the next generation. Voters have entrusted me with a gift. My commitment is that I will be an advocate for my constituents who are being left behind by the current government and this throne speech. Ethical energy workers need to be rewarded for complying with surpassing new federal standards. Agriculture producers deserve recognition for what they contribute. Communities deserve a say in how infrastructure dollars are spent. Veterans and seniors deserve more. The stories of our past play an important role in shaping our future. We owe it to the generations that have gone before us to do better for the generations that follow us. We can do much better.

1333 words

All Topics

Mr. Kody Blois (Kings—Hants, Lib.)

Jan/31/22 5:05:19 p.m.
Watch

Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. colleague for his remarks in the House today, certainly regarding his Scottish lineage and a lot of his family background. He mentioned agriculture. As a member who sits on the agriculture committee, I want to inform him of some of the investments the government has made. Perhaps he can take those back to his constituents and provide a clearer picture of what the government has done. With respect to business risk management, it was the Harper Conservatives who cut this program under the leadership of the then Minister of Agriculture. We have actually installed and increased those programs. Let us talk about supports during the drought that happened in western Canada. We worked with prairie governments to establish programs to help support farmers across the prairie provinces. As it relates to irrigation, we have been there helping to support projects. Although the member may not agree and concord with the government on every aspect, he needs to be fair and honest with his constituents that the government has been there to support projects not only in my area or my riding but indeed across the country, including in his home province of Saskatchewan.

202 words

Mr. Fraser Tolmie

Jan/31/22 5:06:21 p.m.
Watch

Madam Speaker, I would like to point out that I really do like the member's tie. It does sit well with the Scottish heritage that I have. I appreciate that. The province of Saskatchewan relies on agriculture. It is our main source of income. We have felt left out and unheard when we have tried to speak with the government in power. If there is a bridge that could be built, then I look forward to doing that. My first and foremost job here is to advocate for the people who elected me.

94 words

Mr. Richard Cannings (South Okanagan—West Kootenay, NDP)

Jan/31/22 5:07:08 p.m.
Watch

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for his first speech in the House. I could go on about the Scottish heritage. I just hope the member likes my tie as well. I come from a riding that depends on agriculture. I grew up on a small orchard in the South Okanagan Valley. It depends on irrigation above all, so I hear concerns about that. I hear his concerns about municipalities and the difficulty that Canadian municipalities have in funding some of these projects that are necessary. While I would probably completely disagree with the member on the mitigation of climate change and how essential that work is, I would hope to find agreement with the funding of adaptation. Irrigation is probably an important part of that in our ridings. I have had some trouble getting irrigation money from the federal government. I am wondering. Would the member support a new funding program, especially for climate-related disasters, that would let smaller communities off the hook when it comes to the 20% funding requirement for those projects?

176 words

SoVote

House Hansard - 20