[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 109 (Thursday, June 28, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4719-S4720]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            KILAUEA VOLCANO

  Mr. SCHATZ. Mr. President, I want to share an update about what is 
happening with the Kilauea volcano in my home State of Hawaii.
  The first thing people need to know is that the State of Hawaii 
remains safe to visit and that the Island of Hawaii, where the volcano 
is erupting, is also safe to visit.
  Let's start with a basic geography lesson. Hawaii has eight main 
islands, and the volcano is on the Island of Hawaii, which people often 
call the Big Island. It is about 4,000 square miles. This is Hawaii 
Island. It is about the size of Connecticut. Only 9 square miles are 
directly impacted by the volcano. So it is actually just this little 
area in this corner of the island. If you are in the town of Hilo, 
which is 25 miles away from the volcano, you can't even tell there is a 
volcano erupting for the most part.
  Cruise lines are coming back, and officials are trying to set up 
areas where people can safely view this spectacular volcano. It is that 
safe. People need to know that it is business as usual for lots of 
people on the Big Island and that both the State and the island are 
open for visitors. We just got the data in for the month of May, and we 
had again increased tourism statewide. Everyone should come to visit.
  With that being said, this is an extraordinarily difficult situation 
for the communities that are being affected, and even though people are 
used to living with volcanos, this is extraordinarily tough. Right 
here, we have fissure 8. This is about a 300-foot lava fountain that 
has not ceased for several weeks. As recently as 2015, lava approached 
the town of Pahoa in the Puna district, but we really haven't seen 
anything like this since the 1974 flow.
  For the past few months, we have had 300-foot lava fountains. We have 
had ash explosions that have reached tens of thousands of feet. We have 
also had more than 30 billion gallons of lava that have destroyed 600 
homes. An estimated 2,500 people have been displaced, one way or 
another, by the volcanic eruption. In certain areas, there is no power, 
no water, and no cell phone reception. So even if your home has not 
been destroyed, your access now may be limited or nonexistent.
  Here is the really good news: There has been no loss of human life 
due to the volcano. Despite all that has happened, the people of Puna 
and the people of Hawaii Island remain extraordinarily resilient. The 
bad news is that no one is sure when the volcanic activity will end. 
Even the experts at the United States Geological Survey don't know. We 
have several difficult challenges in moving forward--from air quality 
to the need for economic relief and, especially, for housing and 
transportation. Hundreds of people are currently living in shelters. 
Hundreds of animals from homes and ranches are, in a sense, volcano 
refugees. So we have to secure temporary housing for people who lost 
their homes or who have been evacuated and then get these people 
permanent housing and deal with private property damage. We have to 
make decisions about where to rebuild and start the process of fixing 
roads, power lines, and other infrastructure in the Puna district.

  The Big Island's mayor, Harry Kim, and the entire county emergency 
operations center team, including first responders, have been working 
from day one and day and night to keep people safe and deal with these 
challenges. Several weeks ago, I visited the emergency operations 
center and saw firsthand that it is really all hands on deck. Something 
that distinguishes our EOCs from other EOCs and impresses our Federal 
counterparts is the extent to which we all work together regardless of 
jurisdiction. You can scarcely tell who works for State, Federal, or 
county government. You can scarcely tell who is a business leader or a 
not-for-profit leader or a university professor or a mayor. Everybody 
is really working together.
  There is a long list of people who deserve our thanks. Local media 
have gone above and beyond to keep people informed by assigning crews 
to stay in place for weeks at a time. By the way, that is somewhat 
unusual for a disaster, especially one that has been going on as long 
as this one.
  Nonprofits, such as the Red Cross, the World Central Kitchen, and the 
Salvation Army, are operating shelters and serving meals. Companies are 
pitching in by waiving freight charges for relief supplies or working 
to keep cell towers powered.
  I can name every single elected official on Hawaii Island, and each 
one of them is personally doing significant work in the recovery. 
Because this is an island State and because it is a small community, 
this isn't just a matter of their trying to secure resources from 
State, Federal, or county government, and this isn't just a matter of 
lawmaking; they are on the ground, they are listening, and they are 
helping with their hands.
  This is part of the general sense that people have of wanting to help 
during this extraordinary time. Several weeks ago, a resident of Puna 
named Ikaika Marzo took it upon himself to set up Pu'uhonua o Puna, 
which means ``a place of refuge'' in Puna. People can donate things or 
pick up what they need, whether it is information, supplies, or a hot 
meal. We have seen people drive 100 miles to show up and help. Ranchers 
are helping out other ranchers--normally they are competitors--by 
housing displaced cattle. On other islands, people are filling shipping 
containers with donations. Across the State, we are helping each other 
out so that people are being fed, finding shelter, and getting the 
things they need.
  Lots of good things are happening, but it is still a very tough 
situation, an ongoing situation, which is why we have been grateful for 
the Federal response. Two weeks ago, the White House approved the State 
of Hawaii's request for individual assistance from FEMA for residents 
whose homes have been lost or damaged. FEMA has also partnered with the 
State to open a disaster relief center. From the start, it was clear 
that they sent their A team. I want to thank FEMA and the White House 
for their quick action, which is welcome news during this challenging 
time for the Big Island of Hawaii.
  FEMA and the EPA are also working with the State and county partners 
to monitor air quality, which the EPA is now publishing online so that 
the public can make informed decisions. This may sound like a small 
thing, but this is everything when it comes to determining whether 
Norwegian Cruise Line can come to Hilo, and all that economic 
opportunity will either be lost or not, or whether schools in the Ka'u 
and Puna districts can open. What EPA is doing in partnership with the 
State and county government is really extraordinary.
  The Hawaii National Guard was able to command Department of Defense 
resources under a dual command agreement. General Logan, General Hara, 
and the National Guard have all been crucial. They are literally doing 
everything from collecting gas samples to providing security on the 
ground to providing temporary shelters.
  We are grateful for all the help, but we also know it is a long road 
to recovery because we don't know how long

[[Page S4720]]

this is going to go on. In a normal disaster, you have sort of three 
phases: disaster preparation and planning, disaster response, and then 
disaster recovery. Because this is an ongoing situation and because we 
don't know when this is going to end, we have our county, State, and 
Federal folks, as well as the rest of the community, in disaster prep, 
disaster response, and disaster recovery--all simultaneously underway. 
This is an extraordinary situation. There are lots of terrible natural 
disasters all across the country every year, but this is unique in that 
particular way.
  This is also unique in the sense that most of the time--not all of 
the time but almost every time--people can go back to their properties. 
Although they still, under the law, will own their properties, when 
Kapoho Bay was flattened, when Vacationland was flattened, when we went 
from 87 homes, roughly, gone to about 600 homes gone in a very short 
period of time, it is difficult to imagine that these people are going 
to be able to remake their lives in the path of this current flow.
  We have to do all three things at the same time. So we are going to 
continue to work and to look for Federal partners for help and for 
flexibility. I will state that our Federal partners have recognized the 
unique nature of this disaster, and we really appreciate it. I have 
talked to Majority Leader McConnell, Minority Leader Schumer, Vice 
Chairman Leahy, Chairman Shelby, and key appropriators about how unique 
this disaster is, and I look forward to working with the leadership in 
the Appropriations Committee so the communities affected by the volcano 
can get the help they need.
  Thank you.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Young). The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

                          ____________________