[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 94 (Monday, June 3, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3918-S3919]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                              Texas Storms

  Mr. CORNYN. Madam President, here we are, back in the Nation's 
Capital, doing the people's work. But over the last couple of weeks, I 
have been traveling across the State of Texas, where our communities 
have been battered by extreme weather of one kind or another. From 
Houston up to the Metroplex and Valley View, and all the way over to 
Lubbock, storms have caused severe damage and widespread power outages.
  A couple of weeks ago, 100-mile-per-hour winds ripped through 
Houston, toppling transmission lines, power lines, and trees, and 
ripping windows out of skyscrapers.
  Last week's storms in West Texas brought hail so large that the 
National Weather Service issued a warning with a novel descriptor. They 
called the hail ``DVD-sized.''
  The Dallas area saw baseball-sized hail and 80-mile-an-hour winds, 
which led to several days without power for many of my constituents.
  And five tornadoes touched down in North Texas during a 6-hour span 
last Saturday. One of those tornadoes, an EF3, traveled roughly 48 
miles through three counties for over an hour, with speeds peaking at 
140 miles an hour. Tragically, it led to 7 deaths and an estimated 100 
injuries.
  So far this year, the National Weather Service has recorded more than 
1,300 heavy weather events in Texas, and more than 100 of those reports 
came on a single day last week.
  Many of our communities are still clearing debris, restoring power, 
and assessing damage. I have spoken with leaders throughout these 
regions about the recovery process and offered a helping hand.
  I appreciate everything that has been done and continues to be done 
to keep our communities safe and support those who have suffered the 
damage caused by this severe weather.
  In many areas, the level of destruction far exceeds the capabilities 
of the city or county, and there is a need for Federal support. 
Governor Abbott has worked quickly to ensure Texas receives the 
resources and support it needs from the State, and he requested 
assistance from the Federal Government too. He has submitted major 
disaster declaration requests to President

[[Page S3919]]

Biden for the counties impacted by severe weather and flooding. Senator 
Cruz and I have been in communication with the administration to 
emphasize how critical these resources are, and we have urged the 
President to grant the Governor's request for all of the affected 
counties. Many counties are still waiting for that critical 
declaration, and I urge the administration to move expeditiously to 
grant those requests as soon as possible to unlock critical assistance. 
I appreciate the Biden administration working with us to support these 
counties and these constituents who were impacted by the recent string 
of storms.
  There is a lot of partisan disagreement here in Washington, DC, that 
underpins what we do day to day, but those divisions have never 
extended to critical emergency relief.
  With the start of hurricane season officially upon us and experts 
predicting an active season, I know I join all Texans in hoping for an 
expeditious recovery for impacted communities.