[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 13 (Tuesday, January 24, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Page S416]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               GEORGIA SEVERE STORMS AND DEADLY TORNADOES

  Mr. PERDUE. Mr. President, I rise today to express my sympathy and 
support for the people in my home State of Georgia. This past weekend, 
severe storms and deadly tornadoes tore through South Georgia 
destroying homes and businesses and taking the lives, unfortunately, of 
at least 15 Georgians.
  Among those areas hit the hardest were counties surrounding the 
cities of Adel and Albany. These counties and cities are very near 
where I grew up and where I now reside personally. When last weekend's 
storms hit, emergency management teams there were still leading 
recovery efforts in response to deadly storms that had just caused 
widespread destruction earlier this month.
  I am very grateful for the tireless and ongoing efforts of our first 
responders in our State and stand with our Georgia families during this 
difficult time. Our hearts, of course, go out to the families affected 
by these severe storms.
  I now yield for the senior Senator from Georgia.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Georgia.
  Mr. ISAKSON. Mr. President, I want to thank my partner, Senator 
Perdue, for arranging this colloquy today. I want to join him in 
expressing sympathy to the families of those who were lost in Georgia 
and to the thousands and thousands of Georgians who have been injured 
or hurt and who lost valuable property.
  My wife Dianne sends her wishes as well. This part of Georgia is very 
close to me. I grew up as a young boy working on a farm in Fitzgerald, 
GA, not far from Albany. I know what these people are like, and they 
are salt-of-the-earth folks. They don't deserve something like this 
happening, but they do deserve and they do merit everything we can do 
to get them aid.
  I am so happy Secretary Kelly called yesterday to offer the services 
of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Governor Deal has done a 
great job of arranging the disaster area, and the Georgia emergency 
management people are already in place.
  So my heart goes out to the injured. My heart goes out to my State. 
My prayers go out to the families of those who were injured and are in 
the hospital and those who have passed away and perished from the 
terrible tornadoes.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Georgia.
  Mr. PERDUE. Mr. President. I now ask unanimous consent that the 
Senate observe a moment of silence for those who have lost their lives 
in Georgia and across the southeast in these recent storms.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The Senate will now observe a moment of silence.
  (Moment of silence.)
  Mr. PERDUE. I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. FLAKE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  (The remarks of Mr. Flake pertaining to the introduction of S. 195 
are printed in today's Record under ``Statements on Introduced Bills 
and Joint Resolutions.'')

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