[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 125 (Monday, September 30, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1696]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            DISASTER RELIEF

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BOB SCHAFFER

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 26, 2002

  Mr. SCHAFFER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the efforts of 
the Colorado General Assembly concerning the recognition of the ability 
of the state inmate population to provide disaster relief. Resolution 
02S-1001, passed by Colorado's General Assembly supports the low-cost 
alternative of using the Colorado inmate population to assist 
communities in reestablishing their homes and businesses. I commend the 
work of the Colorado General Assembly for its strong efforts toward the 
betterment of the state and well being of the people of the great state 
of Colorado.
  I hereby submit for the Record Colorado House Resolution 02S-1001:

                       House Resolution 02S-1001

     By Representatives(s): Spradley, Cloer, Crane, Dean, Hefley, 
     Hoppe, King, Miller, Rhodes, Schultheis, Stafford, T. 
     Williams, and Young.


     CONCERNING THE RECOGNITION OF THE ABILITY OF THE STATE INMATE 
                 POPULATION TO PROVIDE DISASTER RELIEF

       Whereas, Colorado is in the midst of a widespread and 
     lengthy drought, has experienced throughout this summer a 
     plague of dangerous and destructive wildfires in various 
     locations, and may be in danger of experiencing calamitous 
     flash-flooding; and
       Whereas, The extraordinary challenges of these and other 
     natural disasters demand creative and innovative approaches 
     to prevent and mitigate the destruction caused by these and 
     other natural and man-made forces; and
       Whereas, For decades the Colorado Department of Corrections 
     has supervised the provision of valuable services to the 
     state and its communities by hundreds of inmates; and
       Whereas, The Colorado inmate population can provide 
     reliable and needed assistance to combat the onslaught of 
     these disasters and to mitigate their destruction and stands 
     ready as a flexible, trained, and capable workforce for the 
     state; and
       Whereas, The Colorado Department of Corrections can easily 
     and quickly train and mobilize hundreds of inmates to perform 
     various critical tasks, including: Forest and vegetation 
     management; mitigation of burned areas; flood control, 
     reforestation and reseeding; trail and road rebuilding; and 
     various reclamation projects; now, therefore,
       Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the 
     Sixty-third General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
       (1) That, although the state faces a severe budget crisis 
     and must be fiscally responsible, we, the members of House of 
     Representatives of the Sixty-third General Assembly, 
     recognize that assistance for communities that have been 
     devastated by wildfires is of paramount importance and needs 
     to be accomplished in the most fiscally responsible manner 
     possible, and we support the low-cost alternative of using 
     the Colorado inmate population to assist communities in 
     reestablishing their homes and businesses; and
       (2) That we, the members of House of Representatives of the 
     Sixty-third General Assembly, believe the use of inmates for 
     mitigation and rehabilitation is a quicker and more cost-
     effective alternative for the citizens of Colorado in the 
     current emergencies than the extensive long-term training 
     needed to allow inmates to directly fight forest fires; and
       (3) That we,. the members the House of Representatives of 
     the Sixty-third General Assembly hereby encourage all 
     relevant agencies of federal, state, and local government to 
     consider that the Colorado inmate population may be easily 
     trained and mobilized on request to perform numerous 
     assignments in preparing for and responding to various 
     disasters; and
       (4) That the Colorado Department of Corrections can provide 
     the necessary training and supervision for those inmates to 
     carry out those critical assignments.
       Be It Further Resolved, That copies of this Resolution be 
     sent to each member of the state's congressional delegation, 
     to the President of the United States, to the Governor, to 
     the Executive Director of the Department of Corrections, and 
     to any statewide organizations representing counties and 
     municipalities.
     Judith Rodrigue,
       Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives.
     Doug Dean,
       Speaker of the House of Representatives.





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