[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 101 (Thursday, July 10, 2003)]
[House]
[Page H6469]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              LOCAL HEROES

  (Mr. PENCE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PENCE. Mr. Speaker, as the American people saw on national 
television this morning, the Indiana flood of 2003 moves forward at a 
heartbreaking, record-setting pace. The St. Mary's River in Decatur, 
Indiana, crested last night at nearly 28 feet, an all-time historic 
high for that river, and the Wabash River as well. But because of the 
work of local heroes, like Decatur Mayor Fred Isch, Fire Chief David 
Brinneman, State Police Master Sergeant Rodger Popplewell, and National 
Guard Unit Leader Sergeant Mike Hiester, thousands of volunteers filled 
more than 176,000 sandbags in Decatur, Indiana, alone. And when the St. 
Mary's River crested, it did not break the levee.
  There are so many to be commended, but I remember two in particular, 
Decatur Police Officer Mark Cook, who organized the sandbag filling at 
the Wal-Mart parking lot, and even 13-year-old Melanie Vergary, who 
went out and worked and stuffed bags.
  The Chaplain said today, ``unless the Lord watches over the city.'' 
Surely, Mr. Speaker, we would ask the Lord to watch over this city and 
all the cities in Indiana affected by the flood of 2003 and all those 
who labored to protect it.

                          ____________________