[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 16]
[House]
[Page 21776]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




         HURRICANE SAFETY ON THE CAPE VINCENT AND CAPE VICTORY

  (Mr. POE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, as the howling winds and incessant rain from 
the ``Lady of the Gulf--Rita'' moved closer to southeast Texas, 90 
percent of the population in my district evacuated, but the first 
responders in Beaumont and other towns were worried about where to ride 
out the looming summer storm and potential floods.
  Docked in the Port of Beaumont were the Cape Vincent, helmed by 
Captain David Scott, and the sister ship Cape Victory, with Captain 
Kevin Brooks. These two massive vessels transport military cargo to 
Iraq and Afghanistan.
  The captains and the mayor, Guy Goodson, met briefly. The plan: Use 
the ships. The ships were loaded with first responders and police cars, 
fire trucks, ambulances, city dump trucks, front end loaders and even 
police helicopters. The expert ship crews coolly but quickly took 
little time in safely securing our first responders and their 
equipment. Tugs in the port operated during the howling hurricane winds 
to secure the ships.
  In this operation, there was no senseless red tape, no forms were 
filled out, no committees met, and no permission from bureaucrats was 
sought. The people of Texas appreciate Captain Brooks and Captain Scott 
and their crews for, as we say in Texas, ``Gittin' `er done.''

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