[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 15]
[House]
[Page 22277]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


[[Page 22277]]

                            HURRICANE FLOYD

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from North Carolina (Mrs. Clayton) is recognized for 5 
minutes.



  Mrs. CLAYTON. Mr. Speaker, two of us will be talking on the floor and 
maybe others will join us later on.
  Mr. Speaker, according to FEMA, the route many take to visit Disney 
World in Orlando, Florida, is Interstate 95, and it was designed to 
withstand the 500-year flood and more.
  When Hurricane Floyd, with its mighty wind and its rushing waters, 
swept through North Carolina, it caused Interstate 95 to close. Indeed, 
as this photo shows, and I will pass a couple of them so my colleagues 
can see it, Highway 301 split in two, washed away, left impassable.
  In fact, initially more than 500 roads were impassable. Railroad 
tracks, and I think my colleagues will see that in this, railroad 
tracks were broken up and rendered unusable. Bridges were closed. 
Helicopters or boat, transportation mediums few in North Carolina, has 
been the only means of travel for many throughout the hurricane 
impacted areas.
  Mr. Speaker, Hurricane Floyd left in its wake the worst flooding in 
the history of the State of North Carolina. And more rain fell 
yesterday. The people of North Carolina need help. They need help now. 
It is not charity they seek but a chance, a chance to recover, a chance 
to restore, a chance to rebuild, a chance to put their lives back on 
track. It is the kind of a chance that we as Americans afford each 
other when tragedy of this magnitude strikes.
  At least 42 persons are known dead. Many more are unaccountable for, 
still missing. The Tar, Neuse, Cape Fear, and Lumber Rivers are all 
above flood stage. Even as the 20 inches of rain that fell begins to 
clear, the flooding remains. Dangerous and powerful currents are 
flowing, sweeping citizens away, like the family of four from Pinetops, 
like the 18-wheelers being driven along I-95, or like the sedan pushed 
in the pile of water, at least 4 feet of water, in Wilson, North 
Carolina.
  Thousands and thousands of homes remain now underwater. Trees are 
down. Power remains out for nearly 50,000 households. Now, that is down 
from the more than 1.5 million that were initially without electricity. 
Water and sewage systems are in disrepair. Shelters are housing 
thousands of citizens.
  Today the FEMA director said in North Carolina there are 35,000 homes 
affected. More than 100,000 hogs have been lost, 2.4 million chickens, 
500 turkeys killed. Disease and contamination is a real and dangerous 
threat, as animals' carcasses clutter the roads.
  Coffins dredged up by the flooding have been seen floating in 
Goldsboro and Wilson. Gasoline from flooded stations is now in the 
water. Industrial waste is mixing with the other toxic material, 
creating an unsafe and unsanitary health environment.

                              {time}  2045

  Yet among all this tragedy there are bright spots. The President 
released more than 520 million to FEMA to address immediate needs, then 
visit my district last Monday, and my colleagues joined me there, the 
gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Etheridge) and the gentleman from 
North Carolina (Mr. Price). The President's visit brought hope even to 
those who were hopeless, and we appreciate the effort of FEMA to 
provide the ready made meals ready to eat, ice, blankets, water, 
temporary housing, grants and loans, and emergency generators. We also 
appreciate the hundreds and hundreds of individuals from around this 
country who are on the grounds helping us out. The private sector is 
also responding. Red Cross has opened more than 49 shelters in our 
State. The Salvation Army has 31 mobile kitchens.
  Yet much more, much more help and support is needed from citizens 
around this country and from my colleagues right here. That is why, Mr. 
Speaker, I intend to join with Members of Congress on a bipartisan 
basis from other impacted areas to try to send a legislative package 
for further relief for the President to sign. As a part of that 
package, we need to update the law so that farmers and small business 
persons can be treated in a way that actually help them to recover. 
Actually more loans may not do that because many of them will indeed 
not survive.
  Farmers and fishermen are among those who have been hit the hardest 
by Hurricane Floyd. Our loss already to date we know in North Carolina 
exceeds more than $1.3 billion. We will, therefore, need more 
resources, and that will also be a part of the legislative package.
  Mr. Speaker, the people of North Carolina are resilient, and we will 
come back from the situation, but we will need the help of all America, 
and, Mr. Speaker, I urge America and my colleagues that in the spirit 
of North Carolina to work with us, and I thank Americans who have 
helped and respond to us, and I urge my colleagues to be responsive to 
the need.

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