[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 80 (Tuesday, May 25, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H3794-H3795]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      FEMA IMMEDIATE-NEEDS FUNDING

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Wisconsin (Ms. Baldwin) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. BALDWIN. Madam Speaker, our hearts go out to victims of recent 
floods and natural disasters, but I also fear that we suffer from the 
old adage, ``Out of sight, out of mind.'' Once the cameras are packed 
away and the news crews leave for their next breaking story, what 
happens to the victims and the survivors of our natural disasters?
  You know, one would hope that the system of emergency response would 
keep on plugging away and assisting the families in need across this 
country. But sometimes, unfortunately, that system breaks down.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today to bring the voices of my constituents in 
Jefferson County, Wisconsin, to the floor of the people's House.
  In 2008, homes along the northern shore of Lake Koshkonong and the 
surrounding community were absolutely devastated by a record-setting 
flood. This was a 500-year flood that ravaged much of the Midwest and, 
in particular, Wisconsin and Iowa.
  During that storm, I knew that the damage was going to be devastating 
and that many of the houses in our community would be beyond repair. 
But what I didn't know was that after nearly 2 years after the floods, 
our government would be leaving those hardworking Americans behind. You 
see, in February of this year, FEMA instituted what it calls 
``immediate-needs funding.'' Basically, they are freezing already 
approved funds to folks in Wisconsin and in other disaster areas across 
the country.
  A couple of weekends ago I had the chance to visit with the property 
owners who were affected from the district that I have the privilege of 
representing. These are survivors of the 2008 floods. I wanted to hear 
their stories. Many brought photos, letters, and all brought unique 
stories and anger and frustration.
  I met first with Gene and Marie Harris at their home on Lamp Road, 
one of the most extensively damaged neighborhoods in this flood. The 
damage was so extensive that their house is absolutely uninhabitable, 
and has been since the flood. They showed me photos of before and 
during and after, and we talked about the tangle of bureaucratic red 
tape that they've waded through in order to get approved for FEMA 
money.
  But they were approved for FEMA money, until the freeze took effect. 
When I asked Marie to recall what they went through back in June of 
2008, not surprisingly, she welled up with tears.
  I met with other families affected, a family who had four generations 
who lived in a property that is also beyond repair. He talked about the 
generations having put their heart and soul into remodeling.
  I met with a young family who had several properties in the area. 
This young family, with two young sons, decided that, in order to plan 
for their retirement, rather than investing in a 401(k), they were 
going to buy a few bungalows along the lake shore and rent them out. 
After they paid off the mortgage, this would help with their 
retirement. So they bought five bungalows. Three out of the five were 
damaged in the flood beyond repair. The remaining two are reparable.
  But what's happening, as they wait for those frozen funds, is that 
this family is having to pull out of their kids' college funds and 
money that they were saving for their retirement in order to pay 
mortgages, taxes on properties that are uninhabitable, and for which 
they are getting no rental income.
  They brought when they met with me a letter that asks, and I'm only 
reading a part: but why freeze the funding now? We've been waiting 
almost 2 years, and during this time we must still pay taxes, 
mortgages, and mow what is left

[[Page H3795]]

of our lawn. How much longer are we expected to keep paying and waiting 
with no more source of rental income?
  Please, somebody, wake me up from this nightmare and tell me it's all 
a bad joke. Our government couldn't do something as unfair and cruel as 
this, could they? Do they think about the people whose lives they are 
destroying?
  I know there are people who are a lot worse than us and suffering 
even more. But at least, at least we have another home to live in right 
now.

                          ____________________