[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 84 (Tuesday, May 22, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H5542-H5544]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
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EXPRESSING SYMPATHY TO THE CITIZENS OF GREENSBURG, KANSAS
Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to
the resolution (H. Res. 400) expressing the sympathy of the House of
Representatives to the citizens of Greensburg, Kansas, over the
devastating tornado of May 4, 2007.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows:
H. Res. 400
Whereas on the evening of Friday, May 4, 2007, a tornado
struck the community of Greensburg, Kansas;
Whereas this tornado was classified as an EF-5, the
strongest possible type, with winds estimated at 205 miles
per hour;
Whereas 9 lives were lost;
Whereas approximately 95 percent of Greensburg was
destroyed, causing over 1,500 residents to be displaced from
their homes; and
Whereas the strength, courage, and determination of the
citizens of Greensburg, Kansas, have been evident following
the tornado: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) expresses its deepest sympathies to the citizens of
Greensburg, Kansas, over the devastation caused by the
powerful tornado that struck the community on May 4, 2007;
and
(2) expresses its support as the citizens of Greensburg
continue their efforts to rebuild their community and their
lives.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Maryland (Mr. Cummings) and the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Moran) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Maryland.
General Leave
Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their
remarks and to include extraneous material on H. Res. 400.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Maryland?
There was no objection.
Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, on May 4, 2007, life in the close-knit community of
Greensburg, Kansas, changed forever. At approximately 9:45 p.m. central
time, a massive tornado all but destroyed the Kansas town of
Greensburg, Kansas, located in south central Kansas, east of Dodge
City, Kansas. The tornado was classified as an EF-5, a large and
extremely dangerous mile-wide tornado with winds up to 205 miles per
hour.
The 20-minute warning time was reasonable, but the tornado was so
destructive that nine people in Greensburg unfortunately died, and 95
percent of the town was damaged or destroyed. While the infrastructure
damage is crushing, citizens of Greensburg have refused to let this
incident crush their spirit, hope and determination. Resilience is the
watchword, and rebuilding is the daily driving force.
We're here today as representatives of all the citizens of this great
Nation to express our sympathy to the residents of Greensburg for this
tragedy of historic proportions. More importantly, we stand in support
for the citizens of Greensburg as they heal their families and rebuild
their community.
I stand here in support of this resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. MORAN of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, to the gentleman from Maryland, I'm very grateful for
his support and for his help in bringing this legislation to the House
floor today.
I rise in support of H. Res. 400, which I introduced along with my
fellow colleagues from Kansas. It does express the sympathy of the
House of Representatives for the loss of life and the tremendous
property damage to a community in my district of a population of about
1,500.
The tornado occurred at about 10 p.m. on Friday evening, May 4, now a
little more than 2 weeks ago. It was an F-5 tornado, one of the most
powerful tornados to strike the United States in more than 8 years. It
was fortunate that the people of Greensburg had a 20-minute warning,
that the National Weather Service performed its function. An emergency
was declared, and people had 20 minutes to try to save their families'
lives and to move to safety.
My guess is that that 20 minutes went by in a flash. Mr. Speaker,
while 20 minutes may go by in a flash, I'm sure that the 2 minutes that
the tornado was on the ground went by very, very slowly. It was an
eternity. In that 20 minutes of warning, people did what they could do.
In that 2 minutes, at least the buildings of the community were
destroyed; 205-mile-an-hour winds can do great damage.
Mr. Speaker, we in Kansas are accustomed from time to time to
tornados, but never have I seen the devastation and destruction that
occurs to one community. The losses are significant. Certainly our
prayers and support are with the families of those 10 individuals who
died that night, but 95 percent of the town is gone. There is no high
school. There is no grade school. There is no city hall. There is no
hospital. There is no library. The entire business district, six or
seven blocks of a business district in the county seat town, not a
business remains.
Sixty-three people were injured, and while faced with such
destruction, I've been to Greensburg seven times in the last 2 weeks, I
have seen nothing but the sense of spirit about rebuilding lives. You
can stand in front of a home that is totally destroyed and listen to
the people there sorting through the rubble, trying to find something
of value, and when you have a conversation with them, it doesn't take
long before a smile appears on their face and they talk about how
things could be worse than they are, how we're better off than our
neighbors, how we'll get through this.
And so, Mr. Speaker, in what is truly a time of devastation, it's
also truly a
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time of hope. And what we saw in Kansas that night and every day since
reaffirms my belief in the value of caring for your family, love and
compassion for your neighbor, that your community matters, and a sense
that together we can get through this.
I'm proud, Mr. Speaker, to see the tremendous support that comes from
across the country. Many Members of the House of Representatives have
stopped to visit with me. Many ambassadors and Presidents of foreign
countries have sent notes of condolences and concern. And I appreciate
that President Bush came to Greensburg, Kansas, last Wednesday and
spent 4 hours commiserating with the people of that community.
There is a sense in America that we're all in this together, and in
this case the sense is more than just a feeling. It's been a reality.
An example, the nearby community of Haviland, population about 450,
the grocery store there was open last Sunday. It's a typical grocery
store in a small town. My guess is it makes no money. It's more of a
community service than it is a business. It has the old wooden floors
and the tin ceiling that is very traditional, very common in
communities I represent. And I watched as the owner of the grocery
store stood behind the counter, and people brought groceries to the
counter and placed them there, ready to pay, and he would ask the
question, ``Where are you from?'' And if the answer was, Greensburg,
his answer was, ``No charge.''
We've seen this exhibited time and time again by friends and family,
but even as important as that, we've seen it demonstrated time and time
again by people who know no one in Greensburg, Kansas.
So, Mr. Speaker, the tragedy was tremendous, the destruction was
great, but in reality, people have the faith in their future and are
willing to take the steps necessary to see that their community is
rebuilt and that their children and grandchildren have a future in
Greensburg.
So, Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the resolution commending
these people of Greensburg, Kansas, for their spirit, their bravery,
their compassion, their love for friends and family, and I also say
thank you to the Members of the House of Representatives and to
Americans around the country who also have taken the steps to make sure
that good things happen in the future of Greensburg.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Just very briefly before I yield to my good friend Mr. Skelton, let
me just say this, that I was very pleased and very moved by the
statement of the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Moran), and it reminds me
that this country, our influence in the world is largely based on our
moral authority, and that moral authority is one that says that we will
leave no American behind.
That's basically what you're saying. It's about the business of all
of us lifting each other and being there and underlining under that
United States, united.
And so I appreciate what you've said.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to my good friend from Missouri (Mr.
Skelton).
Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Maryland and
compliment him on the wisdom in his reflection of the character of our
people of our country. Strength of character is the message today.
I compliment my friend from Kansas (Mr. Moran) for introducing this
legislation. All of us, of course, express sympathy to the people of
Greensburg, Kansas. We rise in solidarity, and you are an excellent
reflection of the character of those brave and solid people. We thank
you for bringing this to our attention.
A community was destroyed by a massive tornado, and those of us from
the Midwest are used to severe weather, thunderstorms, winter winds,
ice. Weather conditions are just a part of life for us.
In Missouri, tornadoes have been prevalent during my 30 years that I
have served here, and, in fact, I was here just a few weeks in May of
1977 when tornadoes ravaged Pleasant Hill and Sedalia, Missouri.
More recently in 2003, the city of Stockton was decimated by a large
tornado. The storm damaged or destroyed over 250 homes, killing three
residents and injuring numerous others. Since then, the city's been
working with residents and both Federal and State authorities to
rebuild the downtown and improve upon the public facilities.
As the people of Kansas deal with the aftermath of Mother Nature's
fury, we in Missouri stand with our neighbors to the west.
And again, we thank the gentleman from Maryland for his words. We
thank the gentleman from Kansas for introducing this resolution.
Mr. MORAN of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Beside me I have a photograph of Greensburg, Kansas, taken shortly
after the tornado that perhaps gives Members of the House of
Representatives and really America a sense of the extent of the
destruction.
And there are Members of Congress, I suppose, who come from places
different than the middle of America, and let me describe Greensburg,
Kansas, to you.
Greensburg, Kansas, is a community of about 1,500 people. It's the
county seat town of Kiowa County. It is the hub of activity for that
county. It's in many ways a typical community that I represent. Its
downtown consists of four or five blocks on both sides of the street of
businesses, the hardware store, a drugstore, a grocery store. There's
the seats of government, the city hall, the library, the hospital, the
courthouse.
Mr. Speaker, it's a community in which people have lived there, in
many instances, for four and five generations, and it's a community
that welcomes newcomers. In fact, that's the plea of every Kansas
community: We'd like to grow and see some prosperity, see new people in
our town.
And so this is a community that has a combination of people who are
senior citizens and young folks, a community that has folks who have
lived there generation after generation, generally involved in
agriculture, farming and ranching; but it's also a community that
embraces new ideas and new people, a look toward the future. It's a
community that has numerous churches, and yet today, as we talk about
Greensburg, those structures, those buildings are gone.
But in many ways, what's happened in Greensburg only reinforces who
the people who call Greensburg home are. The fact that the buildings
are gone is something they will live with. In fact, their response was
how quickly can we get back into town so we can begin the process of
rebuilding our homes, our businesses and our lives.
On Saturday, I was in Greensburg for high school graduation. As I
indicated, Greensburg is a town of about 1,500 people. Twenty-five
seniors from Greensburg High School graduated on Saturday morning.
Graduation was held under a tent on the golf course, the golf course
because it's the only place in town that has no debris and rubble.
Population 1,500, there were 1,800 people at graduation. They were
there to tell the students, congratulations and best wishes.
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They were also there to reinforce the importance of community, that
life revolves around what goes on in the town, and life revolves around
its future based upon its young people. Once again we saw the
demonstration of how friends and family and neighbors and people who
don't even know anybody in Greensburg came together in one more
instance to make certain that there was love and compassion and care
and concern demonstrated for the people of this community. I am so
grateful again for the opportunity to represent the people of a
community like Greensburg, Kansas.
The question particularly by the national media has been,
Congressman, do you believe they will rebuild their community? I can
tell you that effort is ongoing today, and it began on Saturday,
Saturday morning the day after the tornado, and it continues each and
every moment.
The city administrator, the mayor, the sheriff, the police chief, the
county commissioners, the city council members all lost their homes.
Yet Saturday morning, they were all gathered there to try to restore
the services for electricity and gas and power and water to
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the community. They lost everything, but yet, as community leaders,
they were there.
My friend, Dennis McKinney, the Democrat leader of the House of
Representatives of the State of Kansas, announced on Sunday, a week
ago, ``I have already hired the contractor to rebuild the house on the
same foundation where I lived before the tornado, because leaders have
to be leaders.'' Again, we see the determination of people.
What I answered to the national media who asked me if they think
Greensburg will be rebuilt, I don't know a lot of people in other
communities, but I know the people of Greensburg, Kansas. In Kansas and
in Greensburg, Kansas, we all have a place we love. It's called
``home.''
There is a great attraction to make certain that we do everything in
this Congress, that the Federal Government responds appropriately to
help the folks of Greensburg. I can tell you that the love of home is
sufficient, that the people of Greensburg, Kansas, are rebuilding
today.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Again, I want to thank Mr. Moran for his statements. There was one
scene that I am sure most Americans saw on TV. Right after the storm
and the tornado, and people were looking through their belongings,
there was one lady who said, ``You know, if I could just find my
wedding ring, if I could just find my wedding ring.''
Her house was totally demolished. Apparently she had said that early
in the day. Then later in the day, they showed her again, saying, ``You
won't believe this. I found my wedding ring.''
For some reason, that was a very telling statement on her part,
because what she was basically saying is that while the buildings may
fall, while so much may seem so dim, the fact is that I still have
family. I want that wedding ring, that band, that symbol of unity, that
symbol of togetherness, that symbol of generations yet unborn, and
those who have come before me; that's what I am looking for.
Just as she found her wedding ring, I know the citizens of Greensburg
will make it. Just as Mr. Moran said, they will rebuild.
Then there was another scene, just yesterday on the news, where the
commentators were talking about how a bank or two had kind of a
temporary building, and other buildings were slowly coming up just to
keep things rolling and doing business. Then to hear about the
graduation of 25 students and 1,800 guests appearing, I think that
sends a very powerful message to our Nation, and such a powerful
message to so many people.
Throughout life, we all fall down, but the question is whether we
will get up. I think that as people watch the citizens of Greensburg,
they realize that there will always, in the words of Martin Luther
King, be interruptions in our lives. The question is whether we will
continue our lives after the interruptions.
On behalf of all of our Members, and I know there will be a unanimous
vote from all of our Members, we want to say to the citizens of
Greensburg that we stand with you, that our prayers are with you, and
just know that as we remind you, God holds you in the palm of His hand.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. MORAN of Kansas. I thank the gentleman from Maryland. He has
touched me by his personal interest, not only in this resolution, but
in his awareness and concern for the people of Greensburg, Kansas.
Mr. Speaker, once again, it's good to see in this House of
Representatives where people from across the country recognize the
value of working together to see that good happens.
I also wish to express my appreciation to all the volunteers from
across the country. Sunday, the two Sundays since the tornado,
collection plates have been passed in our churches, the prayers have
been said. The Red Cross has arrived, the Salvation Army is there, the
National Guard, our soldiers away from home, again, helping in time of
need. Our law enforcement officers from across the State and FEMA have
performed admirably in this very difficult circumstance.
I am pleased by the spirit exhibited today by the gentleman from
Maryland and look forward to that spirit continuing as we work to
rebuild Greensburg and all of America.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. CUMMINGS. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
As I close, Mr. Speaker, I hope that many people from Greensburg
observe this small session that we are going through right now. I hope
that they know that we are with them.
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support
of H. Res. 400, which expresses the sympathy of the House of
Representatives to the citizens of Greensburg, KS, over the devastating
tornado of May 4, 2007.
Just over 2 weeks ago, a devastating weekend of storms left at least
9 people dead and much of the farm town of Greensburg, KS, destroyed.
Mile-wide tornadoes with winds of up to 205 miles per hour were
recorded, leveling the town and destroying much of the equipment used
by first-responders, including city and county trucks. By the time the
winds finally settled, approximately 95 percent had been destroyed,
displacing over 1,500 residents from their homes.
The tragedy of this storm was compounded by the lack of available
responders and equipment. Governor Kathleen Sebelius has lamented the
deployment of much needed troops and resources to Iraq, stating ``When
the troops get deployed, the equipment goes with them. So here in
Kansas about 50 percent of our trucks are gone. We need trucks. We are
missing Humvees, we're missing all kinds of equipment that could help
us respond in this kind of emergency.''
This storm illustrated precisely how rescue and recovery efforts here
at home are being severely hampered by our ongoing involvement in Iraq.
National Guard representatives have echoed this statement, with MG. Tod
Bunting of the Kansas National Guard noting that first-responders
lacked resources even before the war, which has subsequently ``further
depleted us.''
Despite these shortages, Guard troops are to be commended for their
efforts at providing much needed security and supplies.
Here in Congress, as hurricane season rapidly approaches, we are
actively examining our Nation's response to natural disasters. Two
years ago we learned, from Hurricane Katrina, the extent to which we
were unprepared for, and unable to adequately respond to, a disaster of
this magnitude.
I urge this Congress to continue to pursue this important issue; the
tornadoes in Kansas serve to remind us all that nature's furies are
varied and unpredictable.
Mr. Speaker, Greensburg, KS, remains in shambles. Homes are
demolished, livelihoods lost, lives interrupted. I would like to join
my colleague, Mr. Moran of Kansas, the sponsor of this bill, in
expressing my deep personal sympathy to the victims of this natural
disaster. Similarly, I would like to express my strong support for this
resolution, and I would urge my colleagues to do likewise.
Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cummings) that the House suspend the rules
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 400.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the resolution was agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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