[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 153 (Tuesday, October 20, 2015)]
[House]
[Page H6984]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SOUTH CAROLINIANS ARE AN INSPIRATION
(Mr. WILSON of South Carolina asked and was given permission to
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, the past 2 weeks in South
Carolina have been inspiring as I learned and saw spontaneous acts of
thoughtfulness and compassion for flood victims.
The thousand-year rain event was a disastrous collision of a weather
front from the west meeting a moisture-laden trough from the east
caused by Hurricane Joaquin bypassing the State, dumping 11 trillion
gallons of water, inundating communities with rainfalls up to 26 inches
overnight. The volume was equal to filling the Rose Bowl over 130,000
times.
Governor Nikki Haley and National Guard Adjutant General Bob
Livingston, backed up by the State Guard, have continued to lead
dedicated personnel for safety and recovery. Colonel Kevin Shwedo will
be the recovery coordinator.
Individual acts of heroism arise daily, such as the courage of Frank
Roddey, Ryan Truluck, Drew Bozard, and Zack Hudson, who were cited by
The State for rescuing, by boat, neighbors from their submerged Lake
Katherine homes. Every church and school has energized volunteers and
relief efforts for families.
The Salvation Army thanked Mary and J.T. Gandolfo with Rich O'Dell
for raising over $141,000 in a WLTX telethon, with Columbia Rotary Club
members receiving the calls.
Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson deserves praise for his
dedicated FEMA personnel and SBA representatives implementing Federal
assistance.
In conclusion, God bless our troops, and the President by his actions
should never forget September the 11th in the global war on terrorism.
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