[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 5]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 6489]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             RECOGNIZING THE RESILIENCE OF JOPLIN, MISSOURI

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BILLY LONG

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                         Wednesday, May 9, 2012

  Mr. LONG. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the resilience of the 
Joplin, Missouri community.
  One year ago the Joplin community was devastated by an EF-5 tornado 
but showed the Nation and the world what it means to help your 
neighbors in their greatest time of need.
  The tornado that wreaked havoc on our friends and neighbors was a \1/
2\ mile to \3/4\ mile wide and traveled approximately 13 miles, forever 
changing the landscape of the community and lives of those who call 
Joplin home. This destructive force of nature claimed 161 lives, 
damaged an estimated 7,500 residential dwellings, damaged nine schools, 
and damaged 545 businesses.
  I saw the immediate aftermath of this disaster with my own eyes, and 
I know it is vital to get the right resources to the right people as 
quickly as possible, because lives depend on it. As Joplin's 
representative in Congress it was my job to make sure the Federal 
Government worked with local and state officials to provide disaster 
relief. As a neighbor it was my job to help in any way I could, from 
setting up cots in aid stations with other volunteers to helping with 
search and rescue. Missouri is called the Show-Me State, and 
Missourians and Americans from across our great country showed the 
Nation and the world the compassion and generosity of the American 
spirit. Over 120,000 volunteers poured into the Joplin area to offer 
their help and support, and some are still assisting with rebuilding 
efforts.
  Before the life-changing event of May 22, 2011, Joplin was just a 
town in Missouri, but now its sense of community is known throughout 
the Nation. While the Joplin community is still picking up the pieces 
from that fateful day, I know they have a bright future ahead. Though 
lives were lost and homes and businesses destroyed the one thing the 
tornado did not take is the sense of community that makes Joplin a 
welcoming place to live, work and visit. Joplin is stronger despite 
this unfortunate disaster.
  As we commemorate the one-year anniversary which changed the lives of 
all families impacted by this horrific disaster we treasure the good 
times in the past and look forward to a promising future for Joplin and 
all who call this wonderful place home.
  Even though we can't explain why tragedy strikes, we can use what 
happened here to remind us of the good inside us all and to remind us 
that even though we lost a lot, we did not lose everything. Joplin has 
faced challenges that most communities will not ever experience, but 
the outpouring of support is also something any community would be 
fortunate enough to receive.
  If anyone thinks that there are not good, generous and compassionate 
people in this world, then they need to come down to Joplin to see 
firsthand how this community came together during their time of need.

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