[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 125 (Thursday, July 20, 2023)]
[House]
[Page H3863]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         DEVASTATION IN VERMONT

  (Ms. BALINT asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Ms. BALINT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart. Vermont has 
experienced so much devastation over the last 2 weeks.
  The images have been shocking. Our capital city is completely under 
water, small businesses across the State destroyed, homes and rental 
units totally gutted, and thousands and thousands of acres of cropland 
decimated.
  Seeing my State under water makes it clearer than ever that climate 
change isn't coming. It is here.
  Disasters like this bring up so much trauma for many of us who lived 
through Hurricane Irene. I want Vermonters to know that we, your 
congressional delegation, will be there as long as it takes to recover, 
but we have a very long road ahead.
  With the support of our friends and neighbors, we will get through 
this together. That is what I have seen as I have traveled around 
Vermont visiting communities--Vermonters pitching in and helping one 
another.
  We cannot accept what we have seen in Vermont over the last week as 
the new normal. We must continue to fight for climate action and 
climate resiliency to keep Vermont the Green Mountain State that we 
know and love.

                          ____________________