[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 116 (Thursday, September 15, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Page S10111]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HURRICANE KATRINA
Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I rise to address Hurricane Katrina---
what we have been doing and what we should do next. Much has been said
on this floor about good, and bad, responses to Hurricane Katrina.
This morning I would like to reflect on the good responses. I would
like to mention a few stories of self-sacrifice and generosity made by
some people from my home State of New Mexico. A team from Sandia
National Laboratory's and Los Alamos National Laboratory's National
Infrastructure Simulation Analysis Center is helping to determine the
impact of Hurricane Katrina on electric power infrastructure and oil
and gas infrastructure. The Office of Naval Research deployed an
Expeditionary Unit for Water Purification from Alamogordo to create
potable water from brackish water in Mississippi. Evacuees have been
welcomed to our State. In one of the many shows of financial generosity
by New Mexicans, the Sandia Pueblo has donated $1 million to the
American Red Cross. As another example, earlier this month two Dona Ana
County Commissioners plan to donate their salaries for the rest of this
year, totaling almost $12,000, to Katrina victims.
Many law enforcement officers, firefighters, and other first
responders from across the country are aiding in recovery efforts. One
such group is from Bernalillo County, NM. The Bernalillo County
Sheriff's Office and Fire Department sent 43 individuals to New
Orleans, including 3 civilians and my good friend Darren White, who is
the Sheriff in Bernalillo County. The Bernalillo County team spent
several days on airboats, searching for survivors. At one point, the
Sheriff was thrown from the boat into the toxic floodwaters covering
New Orleans. He was sent to a decontamination center, but the
experience did not deter him from his mission. Instead, he stayed in
New Orleans to continue helping with the team's rescue efforts, which
saved more than 200 people. Stories like this make me extremely proud
of New Mexico's brave law officers.
The list does not end there. The New Mexico Disaster Medical
Assistance Team provided medical care in Louisiana. Task Force New
Mexico, made up of 412 National Guardsmen, is helping a Louisiana
parish get back on its feet. New Mexico Task Force One, an elite search
and rescue team, assisted in recovery efforts. This team may sound
familiar because New Mexico Task Force One was sent to the Pentagon
following the September 11 attacks to help with rescue and recovery
efforts there.
Finally, I would like to quote a September 12, 2005 USA Today news
clipping I found particularly striking. A ``disaster response director
for the San Juan County Red Cross watched as two young boys from
Farmington emptied their piggy banks . . . the boys were determined to
send their money, $32 total, to victims of Hurricane Katrina.'' The
parents of these two Farmington, New Mexico boys should be very, very
proud of their sons. I certainly am.
This, of course, is not an exhaustive list of New Mexico's
contributions to Hurricane Katrina relief efforts, and I know that
these stories are not unique to my home State. Many people across the
country have responded with similar acts of courage and kindness. I
would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to all of the
people from New Mexico and from across the country who are helping with
Katrina relief and recovery efforts.
I would also like to mention a few of the many Federal actions taken
in response to Hurricane Katrina. Mr. President, 50,000 people have
been rescued, and 53 million liters of water and 22 million meals have
been distributed. U.S. military personnel, Federal law enforcement
officers, and other Federal employees have gone to the gulf coast to
help people like Sheriff White with rescue, recovery, and security
efforts. Federal agencies have provided millions of dollars in grants
for emergency energy assistance, agricultural aid, Head Start programs,
and job creation. The Federal Government has done much more, including
appropriating more than $62 billion in emergency funding for the gulf
coast region.
It should be noted that these billions of dollars are being provided
for immediate needs; the monies do not include funds for any long term
rehabilitation or reconstruction projects along the gulf coast.
However, such sums will be needed soon, as we face the most difficult
long-term situation that America has ever confronted on her own soil.
Rehabilitating and reconstructing the Gulf Coast will take several
years and several billions of dollars. I believe the proper way to
organize and coordinate these efforts is by creating an office that
will work with leadership in the affected area to coordinate Federal,
State, and local actions and report on reconstruction efforts.
I am not asserting that control should be taken away from the States
and cities that were directly impacted by Katrina. Nor am I advocating
that this person should play any role in reviewing the local, State and
Federal responses to Katrina or in recommending any policy changes that
may need to be made because of those responses.
However, I do believe we need someone who can oversee the numerous
Federal projects and Federal funds that will be associated with the
rebuilding efforts.
Creating such an office is not without precedence. I was here in 1972
when the Mid-Atlantic States were flooded by rainfall from Tropical
Storm Agnes. These floods caused the costliest natural disaster in U.S.
history at the time. President Nixon had the foresight to appoint Frank
Carlucci, his Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget,
to serve as his ``personal representative'' to the disaster area
created by Agnes. Mr. Carlucci coordinated the multistate, multi-agency
rebuilding efforts associated with Tropical Storm Agnes.
I believe that a similar office is needed now to oversee the long-
term, multi-state rebuilding efforts associated with Katrina, and I
have urged President Bush to create such an office by Executive Order.
We are facing an important time in this country, and we must carefully
choose how to proceed. I am convinced that the creation of a central
office to coordinate the gulf coast rehabilitation is the proper way to
move forward.
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