[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 32 (Monday, March 8, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1252-S1253]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       RED RIVER VALLEY FLOODING

  Mr. FRANKEN. I rise today to commend the communities of Minnesota's 
Red River Valley for their extraordinary flood mitigation efforts this 
year. Spring flooding in the Red River Valley is an enormous challenge 
to my constituents in Moorehead and in surrounding communities and the 
communities downstream.
  Last year, these communities experienced record flooding with snow 
melt draining into the Red River and resulting in over 40 feet of water 
filling the valley. The families of the Red River Valley saw severe 
overland flooding resulting in the devastation of their homes, road 
closures, and the cutting off of transportation in and out of the area.
  This year, the Red River Valley is getting ready for what is 
generally forecast to be a major flood. Right now the National Weather 
Service is forecasting a 90-percent chance of major flooding of over 35 
feet. I spent this past weekend in Moorehead, MN, and surrounding 
communities and communities downstream meeting with local leaders and 
talking to folks on the ground getting ready for the flooding.
  Their flood preparation efforts this year are truly impressive. The 
city of Moorehead and Clay County have been acquiring houses in the 
floodplain and moving them out of harm's way. As a result, Moorehead is 
going to need one-third fewer sandbags this year compared to last year.

[[Page S1253]]

  Volunteers are already at work sandbagging, getting ready to fortify 
the levees. I went to the Moorehead facility building this weekend to 
bag sandbags. We do that inside. They cannot freeze; the sandbags 
cannot freeze. It would be like stacking frozen turkeys. They have to 
be unfrozen when we stack them.
  The sense of community solidarity in tackling this challenge is 
incredible. I was struck by how much the community has unified once 
again around preparing for these floods, and it was fun. So I would 
urge folks in the area to go down to the Moorehead facility building in 
the next few days and weeks and sandbag.
  What I took away from being there this weekend and from talking to 
local and community leaders is that they are doing all that they can to 
prepare for these floods with the resources they have. But they need 
our help. I am determined to make sure we are doing all we can on a 
Federal level to help these communities through the next few months.
  Right now, Congress needs to appropriate supplemental funding for 
FEMA's Disaster Relief Fund. FEMA has said they are reserving their 
remaining disaster relief funds for immediate needs until we 
appropriate the supplemental funding. Yet the longer we wait, the 
longer communities in the Red River Valley have to wait on important 
flood mitigation efforts such as removing the remaining homes in the 
floodplain.
  I have contacted the FEMA Administrator urging him to exhaust all 
available options while Congress approves the President's request of 
$5.1 billion in supplemental funding for the Disaster Relief Fund.
  I stand ready to support Chairman Inouye in any of his efforts on 
this or any other bill on the Senate floor to approve this $5.1 billion 
in supplemental funding.
  Once again, I commend the communities in Minnesota's Red River Valley 
for their flood mitigation preparation for this year.
  As the ice melts and the water rises, I will continue to fight to get 
Federal funding out to these communities to make sure we are doing all 
we can to support them in their flood preparations and in their 
recovery over the coming months.
  I yield the floor.

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