[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 29 (Tuesday, March 9, 2004)]
[House]
[Pages H881-H883]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SENSE OF THE HOUSE WITH RESPECT TO SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA,
DECEMBER 22, 2003 EARTHQUAKE
Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules
and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 519) expressing the sense of the
House of Representatives with respect to the earthquake that occurred
in San Luis Obispo County, California, on December 22, 2003.
The Clerk read as follows:
H. Res. 519
Whereas at 11:15 A.M. on Monday, December 22, 2003, an
earthquake measuring 6.5 on the Richter Scale occurred in San
Luis Obispo County, California, with an epicenter
approximately 6 miles northeast of the community of San
Simeon and 24 miles northwest of the City of Paso Robles;
Whereas the magnitude of the earthquake was such that it
was felt from the City of San Francisco to the Los Angeles
Basin, and may have caused the Coastal Range to become up to
a foot higher;
Whereas the earthquake caused damage to homes, businesses,
and public infrastructure such as buildings, bridges, and
roads, that will cost millions of dollars to repair;
Whereas tragically, 2 lives were lost and more than 40
persons sustained injuries;
Whereas local public safety and law enforcement personnel
responded immediately, effectively, and courageously to
assist victims of the earthquake and otherwise protect the
public; and
Whereas a Federal disaster declaration was issued on
January 13, 2004: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) is saddened by the loss of life and property caused by
the earthquake that occurred in San Luis Obispo County,
California, on December 22, 2003, and sends its deepest
condolences to the victims and their families; and
(2) recognizes and honors those local officials, public
safety and law enforcement personnel, and individuals, who in
private or public capacity provided assistance to the victims
of the earthquake and their families, and commends this
dedicated service to the residents of San Luis Obispo and
Santa Barbara Counties and the State of California.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Virginia (Mr. Tom Davis) and the gentlewoman from the District of
Columbia (Ms. Norton) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Tom Davis).
General Leave
Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that
all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and
extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution
under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Virginia?
There was no objection.
Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 519, introduced by the gentleman from
California (Mr. Thomas), honors the victims and affected residents of
the earthquake that occurred in San Luis Obispo, California, on
December 22, 2003. The earthquake registered a 6.5 on the Richter
scale, and it killed two people and injured 50 others. This was the
largest quake to hit the counties of San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara
since 1994.
The historic town of Paso Robles was hit the hardest. Many of the
buildings in that area were unreinforced masonry structures built over
a century ago, and they were unfortunately no match for the
earthquake's power. The two deaths occurred in Paso Robles. In
addition, the earthquake's tremors were felt in San Francisco to Los
Angeles, and more than 30 aftershocks were reported in the following
hours. The quake knocked out power to approximately 75,000 residents,
and many others were forced to evacuate. This resolution remembers the
victims and those who were injured and underscores the heroic
sacrifices made by countless disaster relief workers and emergency
personnel after the earthquake.
Following the wildfires that scorched hundreds of thousands of acres
in October, the December 22 earthquake concluded a difficult fall
season for so many California residents. Therefore, I thank the
distinguished gentleman from California (Mr. Thomas) for introducing
this resolution. It helps us all remember the victims of this disaster.
The resolution also appropriately recognizes the public safety
officials and emergency response personnel who helped limit the
earthquake's effects on the region. Many individuals, businesses, and
organizations in surrounding areas provided much-needed assistance to
victims in the days and the weeks following the tragedy. I commend the
gentleman from California for the resolution's important focus in
[[Page H882]]
commending these charitable groups as well.
Mr. Speaker, I strongly urge all Members to support House Resolution
519.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
{time} 1415
Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, Paso Robles, California, is a small town nestled in the
Central California wine country. Since 1892, the clock tower atop the
Mastagni Building had kept the pulse of the town, an unceasing
progression of hours for 111 years. The ticking stopped at 11:16 a.m.
on Monday, December 22, 2003, when the building crumbled underneath it
and the clock fell to the street below.
Marilyn Zafuto of Paso Robles and Jennifer Myrick of Atascadero were
shopping at a dress shop in the Mastagni Building on that fateful day,
and as they attempted to flee to safety, they were killed by falling
debris. Their tragic fate made them the only two deaths of a powerful
earthquake that shook California from San Francisco to Los Angeles.
With a magnitude of 6.5 on the Richter Scale, the San Luis Obispo
County earthquake of 2003 threw lives into upheaval all around the
State. In addition to the deaths of Ms. Zafuto and Ms. Myrick, 40
people were injured in the quake and its subsequent aftershocks, which
measured as strong as magnitude 4.7. More than 40 buildings were
damaged, roads were buckled, gas mains were damaged, water pipes were
ruptured. This was the largest earthquake to hit California since 1999
when a magnitude 7.1 quake was measured in the desert near Joshua Tree
and the first to cause deaths since the 6.7 magnitude earthquake in
Northridge in 1994.
The effects of this earthquake were felt far and wide across
California. At the Federal Building in San Francisco, 165 miles
northwest of the epicenter, the top floor swayed for 30 seconds and
people in downtown Los Angeles reported that the streets were beset
with a sustained rolling motion.
As often is the case, from American tragedies come stories of
American heroism. The San Luis Obispo earthquake is no exception. The
200 emergency workers who toiled for hours, looking through the rubble
for victims and tending to the wounded, deserve the admiration of this
House as do the countless local heroes who rose to the occasion when
circumstances called for it.
We have not the time to tell all the stories, but I would like to
tell you of Nick and Patricia Sherwin. Mr. Sherwin owns a jewelry store
in the Mastagni Building in Paso Robles. When the quake hit, Mr.
Sherwin took charge, calling for the evacuation of his store. Most of
the people made it outside before the roof, including the clock tower,
was shorn off the building. But two elderly customers fell before they
could get outside. Mr. and Mrs. Sherwin went back and draped themselves
over the fallen elderly customers and shielded them and their bodies
until the quake subsided. Untold heroic stories like this one unfolded
across Central California on that day.
Mr. Speaker, in honor of men and women, Americans like these, I offer
my respect for their quiet heroism on a day when the earth made their
feet seem poised to betray them. I also extend, along with the rest of
the House, my deepest condolences to the victims and families of the
San Luis Obispo County earthquake.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may
consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Thomas), the
distinguished sponsor of this resolution.
(Mr. THOMAS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. THOMAS. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the chairman, the gentleman
from Virginia (Mr. Tom Davis) for his willingness to expeditiously move
this resolution. Those of us in California experience earthquakes
periodically. It is difficult to predict. The usual formula is the
longer it has been since the last one, the sooner it is to the next
one. When actually, if you will look at newspapers in California on a
regular basis, literally on a daily basis there are anywhere from
several dozen to several hundred earthquakes that occur, many of them
are not felt.
Periodically, we get an earthquake as occurred in Paso Robles on
December 22. It was a good size earthquake, 6.5 on the Richter Scale is
a good size earthquake. The earthquake that literally leveled downtown
Bakersfield in 1952 was only 6.1. The earthquake that produced between
20 and 50,000 lives lost in Bam, Iran, in 2003 was about the same
magnitude, 6.5.
This particular earthquake caused about a quarter of a billion
dollars worth of damage in homes, businesses and government offices.
But only two lives lost. And even then, it was a peculiar set of
circumstances that produced the tragedy of the two lives lost. I have a
district office in San Luis Obispo County in the 1915 Atascadero City
Hall which was shook pretty severely, bricks were falling, and the
building itself suffered a number of cracks. And in visiting the site
and in the surrounding area, again and again and again it was clear how
fortunate we were, how many near misses occurred.
I do want to thank the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Tom Davis) for
moving this resolution, and for all of us to remember those individuals
who lost their life, those individuals who suffered major business
damage downtown, and to the general psyche.
I know that when earthquakes occur, I have seen local television
stations go to the airport to interview people, to ask them if they are
thinking about returning to California because the earth literally
shook. I have told them many times that although it occurs periodically
on the east coast, literally, hurricanes and tornados occur everywhere.
There are difficulties that you have to put up with wherever you live.
California, unfortunately, on the rim of fire, is periodically
subjected to these earthquakes.
This one was a difficult one for all of us. My colleagues in the
area, Mrs. Capps and others responded fairly quickly. I do want to put
on the record how magnificently the local elected officials responded,
setting up emergency teams, keeping lines of communication open. And I
want to compliment the Federal Government in its quick response in
providing grants and loans to those who were clearly depressed and
destroyed and were given the opportunity very quickly to rebuild.
The spring has come, the rains have come, the grass is green, but the
psyche shattering earthquake of last December is still present in
downtown areas and in the surrounding communities. And the scar on the
earth will be there for a long time.
I thank the chairman for the quick response and especially for the
Nation's taxpayers in responding in the hour of need in San Luis
Obispo, Paso Robles, Atascadero and the surrounding community. I thank
the gentleman for yielding me this time.
Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my
time.
Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the
gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Capps).
Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, the gentlewoman from
the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton) for yielding to me.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of House Resolution 519,
a resolution honoring the victims of the December 22, 2003, San Simeon
earthquake and paying tribute to the law enforcement, emergency
personnel, and many local leaders who provided assistance to citizens
throughout San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties.
I thank my colleague, the gentleman from California (Mr. Thomas) for
introducing this resolution and for bringing it to the floor of the
House today. It has been a privilege for me to work with him to help
get the central coast back on its feet again.
Mr. Speaker, earthquakes impact all segments of the communities they
strike: Individuals, businesses, and public services such as police,
fire, hospitals, and schools. In the days following this earthquake I
was very moved by the devastation in San Luis Obispo County and in
northern Santa Barbara County. The earthquake registered 6.5 on the
Richter Scale and was felt from San Francisco all the way to Los
Angeles. I know what it was like to feel it strongly in my fourth
[[Page H883]]
floor congressional office building as I was meeting with constituents
at that very hour.
Even though the earthquake lasted only seconds, it left behind
destruction that will take months, if not years, to repair and rebuild.
The greatest tragedy, of course, is that time will not undue the loss
of life of two people caused by this earthquake. Two women perished
when a clock tower collapsed in Paso Robles. Our thoughts and prayers
continue to go out to the friends and families of these victims.
More than 50 people were injured as a result of the earthquake. There
was extensive damage to residential properties, to historical and
public buildings, and to public utility structures. I have received
numerous calls and letters from constituents who have suffered major
losses to their businesses.
Total costs and damages to the counties of San Luis Obispo and Santa
Barbara are expected to exceed $300 million with reports of more damage
coming in daily.
Mr. Speaker, residents and local authorities are continuing to
rebuild their lives after this earthquake. I was pleased the President
heeded calls from Governor Schwarzenegger, the gentleman from
California (Mr. Thomas), and me and declared San Luis Obispo and Santa
Barbara Counties Federal disaster areas as a result of the December 22
earthquake. Federal funding and loan assistance is essential to help
businesses and individuals rebuild their lives and get their lives back
on track following this, such a devastating earthquake.
However, I remain disappointed that the Governor's request that Santa
Barbara County's Federal disaster area declaration does not include
individual assistance programs. It only limits the support from the
Federal Government to the businesses involved.
In northern Santa Barbara County, especially in the cities of Santa
Maria and Guadalupe, homeowners are still suffering from the impact of
this earthquake and its after shocks. Updated damage assessments have
revealed that northern Santa Barbara County residents suffered much
more loss than was originally estimated.
My office will continue to work with all businesses and all families
affected by the earthquake to ensure that they have access to loans and
other assistance that could help them recover as quickly as possible.
Work has already begun to make sure that the hundreds of Federal
historic properties are preserved and retrofitted to provide safe and
accessible work in public spaces.
This is a critical component of creating communities where our
families and businesses are safe, healthy, and that the economy is
secure. State and Federal agencies, including the Governor's Office of
Emergency Services, FEMA and the Small Business Administration all have
been working closely with local officials to give them all the support
that they need. And I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to them as
well as to the first responders, to the rescue workers and to all of
the volunteers, so many of them, everyone who took great risk to
themselves to search the wreckage for their fellow citizens. They did
an extraordinary job.
I also want to commend the city, the county, and State workers and
utility crews who worked around the clock to restore power, water, and
other important services to our communities. Critical functions such as
emergency centers, fire stations, police stations and hospitals were
functioning right after the earthquake.
We do not want to think about what would happen in such an event, but
when it does, we are all heartened by the way that people pull together
and work together from every level, particularly the volunteers who
leave whatever they were doing aside and step right up to the plate.
They cannot do it without the assistance of local, State, and Federal
support.
The San Simeon earthquake was a shocking reminder to people who live
just about anywhere in California that we are prone to earthquakes and
should do whatever we can to prepare. Preparing for an earthquake can
be as simple as making an earthquake preparedness kit with first aid
supplies, extra food and water, and clothing. I encourage all
Californians to take this step. This may be a lifesaver in the next
quake.
Mr. Speaker, as I said, people on the Central Coast are returning to
their lives as they once knew them before the earthquake. The
earthquake may have shaken our foundations, but it, once again, proves
the strength of our communities and our unshakable resolve to help each
other out during times of tragedy. I urge immediate adoption of this
resolution to pay tribute to the lives we lost that day and to honor
all of those who stepped in, stepped up to the plate, to help their
neighbors to get through such a difficult time.
Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests
for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Terry). The question is on the motion
offered by the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Tom Davis) that the House
suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 519.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of
those present have voted in the affirmative.
Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, on that, I demand the yeas
and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.
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