[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 6]
[House]
[Page 8505]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    TRAGIC FLOODING IN CENTRAL TEXAS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Fitzpatrick). The Chair recognizes the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Farenthold) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. FARENTHOLD. Mr. Speaker, over the Memorial Day weekend, the 
communities of central Texas suffered a terrible tragedy after heavy 
rains and powerful storms hit the Lone Star State, resulting in the 
deaths of 24 people, including a number from Corpus Christi and the 
district that I represent.
  Though I don't represent Hays County, where some of the major 
flooding happened and one of the hardest hit parts of the State, nearby 
Caldwell and Bastrop Counties are in the 27th District of Texas, and I 
have pledged my help to the entire area in every way possible.
  Immediately after the floods, I visited the Bastrop County Emergency 
Operations Center and have been in contact with leaders throughout the 
district to help in the recovery and aid efforts and to make sure that 
the resources are available and that we are looking for ways to improve 
our response and readiness in the future.
  But, you know, it wasn't just tragedy that I saw during this. It was 
not just devastation. I also saw the hope and spirit of a community 
that came together in aid and rescue efforts. I was moved, touched, and 
inspired by what I saw.
  Hundreds of volunteers, including my wife Debbie, joined emergency 
personnel and law enforcement folks to help however possible. Debbie 
came home with stories of hundreds of people who drove over 3 hours 
from Corpus Christi to search for some of the victims who were from 
Corpus Christi, including my daughter's elementary and middle school 
tutor, who perished in the flood.
  Despite this tragedy, it is amazing how people came together in the 
spirit of America and how it showed through. This gives me hope for the 
entire country, and it makes me proud to be an American.
  At the request of a constituent, I will also be working with local 
officials to investigate how we can make our emergency notification 
systems better and how it can make sure people have access to accurate 
and timely disaster information so we can prevent tragedies like this 
in the future.
  Obviously, we can't stop Mother Nature, but we can be prepared. We 
can make sure the public has the information they need to keep 
themselves safe, and we can help those devastated by these sorts of 
tragedies.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and everyone join me in continuing to 
pray for the victims of these floods and these tragedies, their 
friends, their families, and the volunteers who gave so selflessly of 
their time.

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