[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 4]
[House]
[Pages 6032-6033]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1600
            DISASTER RELIEF FOR AFFECTED AREAS IN CALIFORNIA

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Costa) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. COSTA. Madam Speaker, I, too, feel, as I believe most Americans 
do, for those who have been impacted by the effects of the disaster 
that occurred with Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. And my colleague and 
good friend from Mississippi makes, I think, strong arguments that it 
is part of our responsibilities as representatives of the people's 
House, to, in fact, respond to needs and crises when natural disasters 
occur.
  My district, the 20th Congressional District in California, includes 
the heart of California, some of the best farm land in the country, 
from Fresno in the north all the way down to Bakersfield in the south.
  I rise this afternoon to address the concerns, the deep concerns that 
our constituents have because of a lack of Federal support in declaring 
Federal designation disaster status for the 31 counties in California 
that were impacted by the freeze that took place in California between 
January 11 and January 16.
  Now, this is a disaster of significant proportions. Unlike a 
hurricane or a tornado, as we have witnessed recently in other parts of 
the country, a dramatic freeze takes on different visual effects. But 
the damages and the impacts to families and their children and people 
with farms and farm workers, compesinos, can be just as devastating.
  Since January 11, January 16, doing our due diligence, Governor

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Schwarzenegger has declared 31 counties in California available for 
Federal designation disaster. Yet, we have gone now 6 to 7 weeks 
without the Federal Government responding. It believes now the total 
cost of the impact of this freeze to the farms, to the citrus industry, 
to the vegetable industry is totaling over $1.3 billion and growing.
  These farm workers, these compesinos, are out of work. These farmers 
have their life holdings in these citrus orchards. The communities, the 
economic impacts are reverberating throughout the communities within 
these 31 counties.
  Last Friday, we had a listening session on the impacts of 
agriculture. We had members from the foodbank in California, the Fresno 
County foodbank, Sarah Reyes, an old friend and former colleague of 
mine. She indicated that over 3,100 households, which contain over 
14,700 individuals, over 7,425 children under the age of 5 years of age 
or less, have been provided food because these folks have no jobs, 
because there are no jobs available, because the citrus industry and 
related industries have been devastated by this freeze.
  It goes on. You know, in places like Orange Cove and Parlier and 
Reedley and Selma and places in Tulare County, we have seen the need to 
provide food for families increase 1,000, 2,000 percent. The UFW, 
faith-based organizations have chipped in. The State has paid millions 
of dollars. But yet the Federal Government response has been lacking.
  We have had bipartisan support from Members of the California 
congressional delegation, by both our United States Senators. 
Congressman Nunes and myself have introduced an Impact for Freeze 
Relief for those farm workers, those farmers, their families and the 
businesses and these small communities. Yet the President has yet to 
declare, since January 11 through January 16, that these counties are 
deserving of Federal designation disaster relief.
  But in the meantime, my colleagues, since December 19, 14 other 
States have been declared Federal designation disaster areas. Nebraska, 
December 19, for severe winter storms; Kansas, January 28, severe 
winter storms. The President, on January 7, declared both those States 
disaster areas. Missouri, Oklahoma, Florida, Illinois, Washington 
State, winter storms, mud slides, tornados, all deserving, I believe, 
and the President believed, for Federal designation disaster status.
  Yet, 7 weeks later, California, that complied with all the 
requirements under the Federal law in which our Governor made the 
request, now finds itself, 7 weeks later, without the sort of Federal 
designation status that we deserve as taxpayers to the Federal 
Government.
  We ask the President, please respond as you have responded in 14 
other cases in these other States. Our citizens need the support and 
the same sort of help that we have given to other parts of the country.
  So I ask, once again today, for the President to respond to FEMA and 
to produce the Federal designation disaster relief that our citizens in 
California deserve and need for those farmers, for their families, for 
those farm workers and for the communities they live in.

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