[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 101 (Friday, July 24, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1428]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 EXPRESSING CONDOLENCES TO THE STATE AND PEOPLE OF FLORIDA FOR LOSSES 
                SUFFERED AS A RESULT OF WILD LAND FIRES

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. CARRIE P. MEEK

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, July 20, 1998

  Mrs. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of House 
Concurrent Resolution 298. The people in the northeast and central 
regions of the state of Florida have experienced great hardship because 
of the destruction of nearly 500,000 acres of land and over 
$276,000,000 dollars in aggregate damages.
  I would like to express my heartfelt sympathy to the people who have 
personally incurred loss, or who had family and friends who sustained 
losses due to the brush fires that damaged or destroyed nearly four 
hundred homes and businesses in Florida.
  We must also recognize the firefighters, from forty-seven states 
across this nation who unselfishly worked around the clock in extreme 
heat to combat these fires.
  At the same time, this incident underscores the need to prepare 
ourselves in advance for future catastrophes. I am hopeful that we can 
learn from our experiences in this matter and apply our knowledge to 
prevention.
  With the victims and families of this disaster in mind, I strongly 
urge my colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives to vote for 
House Concurrent Resolution 298.

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