[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 6]
[House]
[Page 8018]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      ON THE AIR DURING HURRICANES

  (Mr. POE of Texas asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, my congressional district in southeast 
Texas is right in Hurricane Alley. When Katrina, Rita, Humberto, 
Gustav, and Ike struck with all their fury, people were left in the 
dark with no Internet or cell service, but local TV and radio reporters 
were still on the air telling folks what they needed to know.
  Hurricane Rita was the fourth most intense Atlantic hurricane ever 
recorded and the most intense hurricane ever observed in the Gulf of 
Mexico. The storm was devastating to our communities, but many folks 
were able to stay safe because they were tuned in to the news. Our 
broadcasters provide communities with vital lifesaving information 
before and after storms. They are the most reliable resource we have 
when disaster strikes.
  Today, on the first day of hurricane season, we should thank all of 
our local first responders, police, and firefighters. But we should 
also thank all the broadcasters who do their part to keep us safe in 
southeast Texas when the storms come crashing ashore.
  And that's just the way it is.

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