Date: 2016-05-12
Speaker: GENE GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I thank my colleague and neighbor and friend for setting this Special Order tonight for what we call the tax day floods in Houston and Harris County. Texas. Our district was hit by flooding. but not near as much as in Congressman AL GREENS. because I was in his district that week. and also in the neighboring districts. Congressman CULBERSON. Congresswoman LEE and Congressman MCCAUL. and Congressman BRADY. But I was just looking at a memo. In our district. we have Hunting Bayou. which is part of the legislation. that was overflowed. and the people who live in that area. along Interstate 10 East. they cleaned out their homes. the Sheetrock and everything else. and it is literally a tragedy. On April 18. the city of Houston and Harris County. Texas. was subjected to paralyzing flooding which claimed the lives of 9 of our citizens and required the rescue of at least 1.200 others. Approximately 2.000 housing units were flooded. and we are currently working to figure out where to house the folks who cannot return to their homes. This is the second major flooding disaster Houston has experienced in the last 6 months. The city is expecting additional rain. even this weekend. tomorrow and Saturday. Residents of our congressional district. as well as other Members districts. have been severely affected. and we must do everything we can to stop the needless loss of life. The President has recognized the significance of the catastrophe and fulfilled a request for a disaster declaration. Now it is the job of Congress to help our constituents. That is why I have worked closely with my neighbor and friend and colleague. Representative AL GREEN. to introduce the Tax Day Floods Supplemental Funding Act. H.R. 5025. The legislation would provide $311 million to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the construction and. in most cases. completion of our bayou and flood projects in the Houston and Harris County. Texas. area. Flooding is not new to Houston. but we have learned how to control it. Our bayou system has saved countless lives and millions of dollars in damage since the creation of them. Unfortunately. due to the consistent budget pressure. the Army Corps of Engineers cannot adequately fund these projects. This bill would ensure that our Federal. State. and local authorities have the resources necessary to expedite these flood control projects we know protect people and property. My colleagues and I have requested the Director of FEMA and the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to tour our districts and see the damage firsthand. and I renew that request again today. The support in the community is overwhelming. The Greater Houston Partnership. our chamber of commerce. supports this legislation. and they estimate that the total lost is about $1.9 billion. It is also supported by our localin Harris County we created a flood control district that partners with the Corps of Engineers. Our Harris County Flood Control District also supports this legislation. Additionally. I want to make sure that the folks on the ground have the information they need to get back in their homes. FEMA has opened disaster centers in our community. but if you are not near one of those centers. you can apply to FEMA by phone. Call 18006213362. That is 1800621FEMA. 18006213362. FEMA can offer two types of assistance: housing assistance. temporary housing. money to help repair or replace your primary residence. Nonhousing needs include medical. dental. funeral costs. clothing. household items. tools. home fuel. disasterrelated moving and storage. replacement of a disasterdamaged vehicle. After 24 hours. FEMA will follow up with you. It is important in our district to know that. if your Spanishspeaking households have children that are U.S. citizens or legal residents. FEMA can help you if there is a legal resident or a citizen living in that home. Mr. Speaker. it is important that we help victims in our neighborhoods so we can get back on top and help them. I urge our body. this House. to pass the emergency funding legislation and do so as quickly as we can. Again. I want to thank my colleague and friend. I was impressed that day when we were in his district. in Westbury. at the flooding and the outpouring of people. I have seen it in my district where people will literally move everything from their house. they have to throw it away. It is out on the curb. The city of Houston is cleaning it up as fast as they can. but we need to get these people back into their homes. But this bill that we have will make sure their homes are not flooded again because. that way. we dont need to have these repetitive floods like we have had in the last few years. Again. I want to thank my colleague for this Special Order tonight but. more importantly. I want to thank him for his leadership on this piece of legislation. I am proud to be his cosponsor.