[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 60 (Friday, May 9, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S4278]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               DISASTER SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS BILL

  Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, yesterday we completed a disaster 
supplemental appropriations bill that addresses some of the needs of 
the serious disaster that occurred in my State of North Dakota and the 
three-State region of South Dakota, North Dakota, and Minnesota. I am 
pleased to say at the end of the day Senator Stevens, Senator Byrd, and 
so many others, on a bipartisan basis, in this Chamber were willing to 
add sufficient resources so that people who lost their homes, people 
who lost their businesses, who feel helpless and hopeless, will now 
have some hope that there will be recovery in our region of the 
country.
  Mr. President, 25,000 people in Grand Forks, ND, woke up this 
morning, not in their own bed, not in their own home, some in a 
shelter, many with friends, some in other towns, because much of that 
town is still evacuated. In East Grand Forks, across the river, 9,000 
people have left the town. The entire community was evacuated, and the 
mayor indicates nearly none of them are back.
  The blizzards, the floods, and the fires were the worst we have ever 
seen. The need for the rest of the country to extend a helping hand, to 
say we want you to recover and rebuild and get back on your feet, is 
welcome news. I appreciate very much the resources, some $500 million 
of community development block grant funds, that resulted, finally, in 
this legislation enacted yesterday by the U.S. Senate.
  I thank all my colleagues for that help, on behalf of all North 
Dakotans.

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