[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 108 (Friday, September 2, 2005)]
[House]
[Pages H7631-H7632]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     HURRICANE KATRINA SUPPLEMENTAL

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. English) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. ENGLISH of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, we are in the midst of a 
crisis, a crisis of crushing proportions in terms of lives lost and 
property destroyed. Time is clearly of the essence, and I commend 
Speaker Hastert for calling Congress back into session over this 
holiday weekend.
  While we are still assessing the full extent of the damage caused by 
Hurricane Katrina, we know that the damage is severe and that the 
response must be strong and steady. The legislation that we have just 
passed in the House will provide financial assistance to the victims 
who have borne the brunt of this devastating storm.
  It will allow the Federal Emergency Management Agency adequate 
resources to continue operating and to restore order in the affected 
areas. Rescuing and evacuating those who are trapped, getting food, 
drinking water and medical care to those who are stranded, should be 
our top priority, and this funding is essential to accommodate some of 
those basic initiatives.
  The image we have all seen on television and in the newspapers only 
begins to convey the desperation of those in and around the areas that 
have been hit. My heart goes out to those families, and I am pleased 
that Congress has answered the call here today and sent and guaranteed 
the much-needed resources.
  On behalf of western Pennsylvania, an area where we are familiar with 
Mother Nature and how tough she can be, I am here to express our 
solidarity with the people in those communities that have been hardest 
hit. The economic impact of Katrina also looms over us as we move 
forward, and as gas and other oil prices spiral out of control this 
natural disaster certainly has the potential to become a serious 
economic challenge as well.
  We need to take action in Congress to alleviate the short-term crisis 
that has been caused by Katrina. It will likely take the next several 
weeks and perhaps longer before we know the full extent and the true 
extent of the damage and begin to repair our critical energy 
infrastructure.
  We recognize already that electricity remains sparse in some 
communities, limiting the capacity of refineries to operate. In 
addition, distribution pipelines also lack capacity, so refined 
products are unable to reach local gas stations. The production and 
delivery problem will, without a doubt, have significant impact on 
consumers and a ripple effect on the economy. We in Congress I think 
need to anticipate that and respond. I think it is essential that we 
act to address any fuel shortage and act decisively to blunt its 
nationwide consequences.
  While our supply chain is coming back online, Congress needs to 
carefully consider options for managing the energy supply and the price 
of gasoline, such as giving the President the authority to fight price 
gouging for oil and oil by-products, and manage strategy fuel supplies.
  Further, we ought to consider a temporary suspension of the Federal 
gas tax to give consumers at least a small break from the unanticipated 
increases. Any temporary measures we can engage will ameliorate the 
enormous impact of the present situation, and these need to be 
carefully thought through.
  For now, however, we have to quickly move forward, as we have done 
with this emergency appropriations bill today, which will help the 
victims who have suffered most from the devastation of this storm. This 
storm is a challenge to the Nation, and I urge the American people to 
pull together and to help each other get through this.
  I encourage people to donate what they can to the charity of their 
choice and do what they independently can do to conserve energy. I 
believe this will

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test us and perhaps also show us at our best.

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