[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 105 (Wednesday, September 8, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1561]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR DISASTER RELIEF ACT, 2004

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                               speech of

                         HON. STEPHANIE HERSETH

                            of south dakota

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, September 7, 2004

  Ms. HERSETH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the emergency 
supplemental appropriation that will provide financial relief to the 
residents of Florida that have suffered from the devastation of 
Hurricanes Charley and Frances. Tragically, this disaster has cost 
several lives. It also has cost the State of Florida billions of 
dollars and threatened the livelihood of countless Floridians. I am 
pleased to voice my support for this legislation.
  I am particularly pleased to support this bill because of my 
perspective as a South Dakotan. We have never suffered a hurricane in 
my home State--it is one of the many blessings of living in South 
Dakota. We do, however, suffer from our own brand of weather-related 
disaster that can be just as economically devastating as a hurricane 
and be spread over an even wider geographic area. This weather 
phenomenon is known as a drought.
  Over the past several years, many counties in my home State have 
suffered from severe drought. In fact, the U.S. Secretary of 
Agriculture has declared 30 counties as drought disaster areas this 
year alone. Right now, USDA estimates that more than 53 percent of my 
State is either short--or critically short--of topsoil moisture.
  Droughts have ramifications across the entire economic spectrum and 
social fabric of the State. South Dakota is extremely reliant on the 
ability of our farmers and ranchers to harvest the bounty of the land 
and turn that into a profit. Without rain, grass does not grow and 
watering holes go dry. This forces ranchers to liquidate assets--their 
cattle herds. Without rain, corn, wheat, and other grains do not grow 
and farmers have no crop to market at the end of the year.
  A successful harvest turns into new clothes, college tuition, home 
improvements, and farm equipment. The profit that farmers and ranchers 
receive from the land circulates up and down the main streets of South 
Dakota's small towns. It pays the mortgages and salaries of thousands 
of small merchants and service providers. A drought can devastate an 
economy in exactly the same way that a hurricane can.
  I urge my colleagues to support the well-deserved relief that this 
bill will provide for the victims of these hurricanes. It is the right 
thing to do. In doing so however, I also request that, if you hear 
about those suffering quietly from the effects of a drought, you are 
aware of how devastating this can be and will support relief for this 
type of weather disaster as well.

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