[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 6]
[House]
[Pages 8145-8150]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1915
                     FLOODING IN THE STATE OF TEXAS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 6, 2015, the Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Al 
Green) for 30 minutes.


                             General Leave

  Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their 
remarks and include extraneous materials on the subject of my Special 
Order. That subject, Mr. Speaker, will be flooding in the State of 
Texas.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Texas?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I and a good many of my 
colleagues will speak tonight about circumstances that are occurring in 
Texas more often than we would care to see. In a sense, Mr. Speaker, 
this is a continuation of a mission of mercy that we embarked upon 
earlier this year when we were having flooding in Houston, Texas.
  These floods that we are having across the length and breadth of our 
State are causing great property damage, and that is worthy of a lot of 
consideration and it is worthy of being addressed on the floor of the 
House of Representatives. But we also have a good many lives that have 
been lost across the length and breadth of our State, and these, of 
course, are of paramount importance to us. So while we may make some 
references to the property damages and there will be some things said 
about possible solutions, I believe that we will say a good deal about 
the lives that have been lost.
  At this time, Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas' 27th 
Congressional District (Mr. Farenthold) to give his comments.
  Mr. Farenthold has experienced some flooding, and I am honored to 
have him appear and tell us about what is happening to his constituents 
in the 27th Congressional District.
  Mr. FARENTHOLD. Mr. Speaker, it is an honor and a privilege to be 
here.
  A little over a year ago, there were some horrible floods just 
outside the district I represent in Wimberley, Texas, that took the 
lives of several constituents vacationing there in Corpus Christi, 
Texas. In fact, some of the bodies of the young children who perished 
in that horrible flood have yet to be recovered. My family's prayers 
and the prayers of the Nation go to those grieving families and the 
survivors and for the repose of the souls of those who passed.
  There has been a lot of flooding in Texas over the past year or so, 
just as recently as last week. I represent Wharton, Texas. The river in 
Wharton rose just as it had gotten repairs from the previous flood a 
few months earlier. All the Sheetrock was newly installed and ready to 
go; and sure enough, another flood comes and the damage to the property 
continues.
  Unfortunately, the floods of last week and the previous weeks did not 
result in loss of life in the district that I represent. Thank the Lord 
for that.
  I tell you, in the past 14 months, another county I represent, 
Bastrop, has experienced the worst flooding it has seen in 35 years. It 
is currently dealing with $2.5 million in damaged infrastructure, and 
20 roads still remain closed today. Of the 100-plus homes damaged in 
the past 14 months, more than half were determined to be unlivable, and 
four families still remain in temporary housing.
  Earlier, in Wharton County, more than 1,000 people were evacuated and 
150 homes flooded. It has really been tough.
  I was driving through and visited with the emergency management folks 
in Wharton. You look at the fields of green. I posted on Instagram the 
picture of a milo field. It said, ``Amber waves of flooded grain.'' 
Cotton fields are under water as well.
  In addition to the property damage, I think our farmers in Texas may 
suffer from an overabundance of water. As I grew up in a farming 
family, our complaint was it either rained too much, too little, or at 
the wrong time. I will tell you that these floods have just been 
horrible in Texas.
  I do want to thank the folks from FEMA, the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency, for their quick response.
  What it has told us is that we are taking way too much time for 
projects to stem the flooding, levees and the like, to get approved by 
the Army Corps of Engineers and the other Federal agencies. The funding 
for it is difficult to come by.
  We end up spending all this money with FEMA. If some of that money 
were redirected to preventive maintenance or preventing these floods, 
we might save lives and certainly save property as well. I think it is 
something that this Congress should look at: preventing problems rather 
than just reacting to them.
  I also want to commend the first responders and the emergency 
management personnel throughout Texas who have done so much. I also 
want to offer my thoughts and prayers to those brave servicemen who 
perished in Texas in the training exercises as well.
  It has been a tough few months here back in Texas. But you know what? 
We are Texans, and we will survive. We will mourn those we have lost, 
and we will rebuild, and we will continue to reflect that which is the 
greatest of the American spirit: perseverance through adversity.
  I thank Mr. Al Green for the opportunity to speak.
  Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas 
(Mr. Farenthold) for the unity that is engendered by his being here 
tonight.
  It is important for people to know that this is not a time for 
Democrats or a time for Republicans. This is a time for Texans to come 
together and to talk about some of the concerns that we have and to 
remember those who have lost their lives in these floods.
  At this time, I am honored to yield to a neighbor who is from the 
22nd Congressional District of Texas. He is south of me. Of course, I 
speak of the Honorable Pete Olson. We are honored to have him with us 
tonight, and we welcome your commentary about some of the concerns in 
your district and, indeed, across the State.
  I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Olson).
  Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend and neighbor to the east, 
Mr. Al Green, for holding this very Special

[[Page 8146]]

Order about floods we have had in Texas.
  It has been a rough year in Texas' 22nd Congressional District. Last 
Memorial Day, we had the 100-year flood and lost one life, one who 
drove into a flooded small creek and died in their vehicle.
  Tax day 2016, there was lots of street flooding. I had to move my 
pickup truck off my street before it was taken over by the water.
  The worst came 2 weeks ago, the 500-year flood. The Brazos River came 
out of its banks like never before. That river cuts through the heart 
of my district. It first hit Simonton, a small town in the northwest 
part of Fort Bend County. They had a mandatory evacuation on May 29. 
Every home, except for 12, left. Almost all the homes have been 
flooded.
  Next, was Richmond and Rosenberg. Two days after Simonton, they, too, 
had mandatory evacuations and had homes north of the railroad track 
flooded.
  Next came my hometown of Sugar Land. We had to cancel our Memorial 
Day celebration because our park was flooded.
  Next came Missouri City, Sienna Plantation, floods there. It crossed 
over Brazoria County and went down to Rosharon, and that place was 
flooded out as well. Luckily, God willing, we lost no lives these past 
couple of weeks.
  I saw the greatest in Texans this past week. I put 500 miles on my 
pickup truck in 8 days. At our Fort Bend emergency command operations 
center, people from all over the region had taken pizza, Chick-fil-A, 
coffee, Shipley Do-Nuts, kolaches, making sure these people who were 
working 24/7 are fed.
  I saw an old-fashioned cattle drive. Sheriff Troy Nehls led other 
sheriffs on a cattle drive, moving some cattle down flooded 90, away 
from the threat of floods.
  But the best, my friend, was 2 days ago. My wife, Nancy, and I drove 
over the river and went down to Rosenberg, Texas, to be with B.F. Terry 
High School. There was a recovery center giving out goods to people in 
need. This effort was started by what is called The Church, Second Mile 
Ministry, and Lamar Consolidated Independent School District, who 
opened up B.F. Terry High School. Every single day they said, ``We need 
more rooms. We have to have more space,'' and they got it.
  Nancy and I were assigned to stuffing small bags with one roll of 
toilet paper, a toothbrush, some toothpaste, some shampoo, some soap, 
and a razor. We were supervised by three young ladies: Rachel, 
Isabella, and Layla. They were a true team of Texans, my friend. I 
called Rachel ``the skipper'' because, man, she was in charge. I called 
Isabella ``the executive officer'' because she was number two in making 
sure everything worked well. And Layla was ``the weapons officer.'' 
Don't mess with Layla. I failed my inspection the first two times. I 
could not get the bag closed. They got on my back and made sure that I 
closed that bag so people could have all they needed in times of 
crisis.
  That is what makes Texas so great, my friend: not waiting for D.C., 
but neighbors helping neighbors in need. Those ladies know what the 
Bible says: love thy neighbor more than thyself.
  Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for not 
only what he has said tonight, but for what he has been doing in his 
district to help persons in times of need. It is greatly appreciated by 
his constituents, and I greatly appreciate you coming to the floor 
tonight to let people know that we in Texas are standing together, and 
we are going to work together and we will get through this, but it 
won't hurt if we can get a little bit of help.
  I am honored to have another colleague, who has a district that is in 
Houston. Of course, he has been in Congress for many years, and I 
consider him a very dear friend, the Honorable Gene Green, from the 
29th Congressional District in Houston, Texas.
  I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gene Green).
  Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague and 
namesake from Houston, Congressman Al Green. I appreciate his effort, 
both on the legislation that we are cosponsors of, but also setting up 
these Special Orders. It is great to have bipartisan support.
  As we found out in Houston, it doesn't matter if you are a Democrat 
or a Republican. If your house gets flooded, your cars get flooded, in 
some cases, the lives of your family and your neighbors are in 
jeopardy, as Texans, we work together.
  I have watched this over the years because we have had some terrible 
floods over the years, whether it be Tropical Storm Allison in 2001, 
Hurricane Ike in 2008, or what we are seeing now in May of 2015, which 
we called the Memorial Day flooding that was devastating and included 
more than 11 inches of rain and $3 billion in damage. But in April of 
2016, this year, Houston and areas experienced what we call the 
devastating tax day flooding on April 18 that claimed lives and caused 
hundreds of millions of dollars in damage.
  In the last 3 weeks, just before Memorial Day, we also have seen 
historic rainfalls and subsequent flooding. The rain in the Houston 
area has ceased, but downstream in Brazoria County is my colleague from 
Fort Bend, just southwest of Houston, the flooding has continued. An 
estimated 200,000 residents, nearly two-thirds of the population of 
Brazoria County, have been affected by the flooding. Once again, I 
stand before this body while southeast Texas is under water.
  Once again, I stand with my Houston colleagues and ask the House of 
Representatives to give our constituents the resources we need to 
protect lives and property in the future.
  I have worked with my colleague, Al Green, on H.R. 5025, to 
appropriate $311 million to complete our bayou system. These projects 
are not imaginary. They are ideas that would help, and these projects 
during the process would save lives. These are projects that the Corps 
of Engineers have said that they have approved. We just don't have the 
money to complete them.
  In the Houston area, we have a number of bayou systems that actually 
start in Congressman Olson's, Congressman Al Green's, Congressman 
Culberson's, and Congressman McCaul's districts. But it runs through my 
area because I have the eastern side of Harris County, where Buffalo 
Bayou and the Houston Ship Channel are located. We are downstream from 
those, and we see that flooding ourselves. I ask the House to bring our 
bill to the floor and to help mitigate the suffering of these thousands 
of Texans.
  Earlier this month, our office received early notification that the 
United States is entering hurricane season as of June 1. Once again, 
the problem could be expanded. Like I said earlier, in 2001, Tropical 
Storm Allison hit the Texas Gulf Coast and devastated my area of east 
and north Houston. In 2008, Hurricane Ike caused citywide flooding and 
hundreds of millions of dollars in damage. Again, it came over our 
district in east Harris County.
  Now we face another hurricane season with the possibility of extended 
damage and no protection for our vulnerable citizens. Houstonians 
continue to suffer the effects of Mother Nature, and we have the 
ability to help them. The President has declared Houston a disaster 
area a number of times.
  Again, with hurricane season upon us, we would like to see that 
Congress responds and acts on H.R. 5025 as the best option now.

                              {time}  1930

  Again, these are flood control projects that have been approved. We 
just don't have the money. Of course, in Houston, Harris County, we 
have a flood control district that we pay our property tax to. They 
have to come up with a match for the Federal funding, so it is not all 
Federal funding taking care of our problems. It is actually local folks 
also paying up to be able to keep our houses and homes from flooding 
and our families and neighbors from drowning.
  Again, I ask my colleagues to support H.R. 5025. I want to thank my 
colleague, Al Green, for his leadership on

[[Page 8147]]

this. We will continue to ask our colleagues to help even through this 
hurricane season. It doesn't end until typically the end of October. 
Again, I thank the gentleman for yielding to me.
  Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. I thank my colleague for coming to the floor. 
I know a good many of his constituents--he and I are often in each 
other's districts. I know that they are exceedingly pleased that he has 
taken up this cause. My hope is that he and I will continue with this 
mission of mercy, if you will, such that we will bring to fruition some 
solutions for the problems that we encounter not only in Houston, but 
also across the length and breadth of our State.
  I am honored to yield, Mr. Speaker, to the gentleman from the 20th 
Congressional District of Texas (Mr. Castro), who is in Congress not as 
a neophyte. I believe he has been here now into his second term. He has 
done an outstanding job since he arrived in Congress. We are honored to 
hear from him about some of his concerns and his constituents.
  Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Green for 
yielding me this time and for organizing tonight's discussion on the 
devastation our State has seen in recent weeks and months. I know that 
his city of Houston has experienced truly horrific flooding and 
destruction, and I offer my condolences to him and to the entire 
Houston community.
  These storms have been severe and deadly. We all mourn the loss of 
nine soldiers training at Fort Hood whose lives were taken way too soon 
in floodwaters last week. Six other people across Texas have also died 
as a result of the storms as well. My prayers are with the families and 
loved ones of all those whose lives were claimed by this terrible 
flooding.
  Some of the most destructive weather that my hometown, San Antonio, 
experienced was back in April when three hailstorms struck our city. 
The Insurance Council of Texas estimates that those storms caused more 
than $2 billion in damage, and the Council projects $1.93 billion in 
losses from auto and homeowner claims.
  It is not unusual for San Antonio to get a foot of rain by early June 
each year, but rainfall totals are already double that amount so far in 
2016. All of this precipitation is a major economic hit to our city, 
and it poses a real threat to people's well-being.
  I urge folks in San Antonio and across Texas to educate themselves on 
storm and flood safety. I also encourage Texans who have questions 
about what help the Federal Government can provide during this trying 
time to reach out to their Members of Congress. You see a number of us 
here on the House floor tonight drawing attention to this issue, 
specifically the issue of flooding in Texas. We are deeply concerned, 
and we are here to offer any assistance that we can.
  I would also say to Congressman Green that in addition to what has 
been the tragic loss of life and the obvious property destruction 
wrought by these floods, there is also an untold cost in the flooding. 
I grew up in a few neighborhoods in San Antonio where we didn't have 
sidewalks, for example.
  Often in lower income areas or even in middle-income areas, older 
parts of the city that don't have sidewalks and don't have the proper 
infrastructure to deal with even mid-level flooding. People's basements 
or garages will flood, ruining a lot of property. These are folks who 
oftentimes are renters or don't have insurance, and so there is really 
no recourse for them. They end up just paying the price.
  It really speaks to the importance of the work that we do, the States 
do, and the local governments do in making sure that infrastructure is 
properly built, that it is built across cities and counties, and that 
flooding is prevented everywhere it can be.
  Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I greatly appreciate the 
gentleman sharing time with us on the floor tonight. He has spoken very 
eloquently about some of the concerns that go beyond the visible 
property damages.
  Ostensibly things happen, but there are some other things that are 
happening that we don't always uncover. When these things happen to 
poor people, the damages can exceed far more than the eye can see. I am 
grateful that he has called some of these things to our attention. 
Thank you very much.
  At this time, I am going to call upon another colleague. All of these 
are dear friends. These are persons who have come to the floor tonight, 
quite frankly, not in a bipartisan effort, but more in a nonpartisan 
effort. There is no partisanship associated with what we do. We work 
together on these issues.
  I am honored to yield to the gentleman from the 14th Congressional 
District, the Honorable Randy Weber. He is one of my neighbors as well. 
I welcome you, and I yield to him, my dear friend.
  Mr. WEBER of Texas. I thank my good friend, Congressman Green from 
Houston, for yielding to me. I appreciate that. He is the consummate 
gentleman. I appreciate him lining this up and helping us to draw 
attention to it.
  Mr. Speaker, all the recent rains in Texas have devastated parts of 
up to 31 counties in our beloved State. Governor Greg Abbott has 
declared them a disaster area. I happen to represent the lower half of 
Brazoria County, from the south side of Alvin going south, and it has 
been the recipient of a lot of flooding.
  On Monday, I toured the Emergency Management Office Command Center in 
Angleton, Texas, which is the county seat for Brazoria County. I was 
privileged to meet with County Judge Matt Sebesta and others as I was 
introduced to the Brazoria County first responders working night and 
day to take care of our citizens, our citizens' animals and their 
livestock, and their property as much as we could.
  I was also privileged, Mr. Speaker, to go up in a Texas DPS 
helicopter with two of our great Department of Public Safety pilots. 
Wow. What devastation, Congressman Green, in Brazoria County. I have 
pictures on my iPhone. I mean, it is just unbelievable the flooded 
areas. The devastation and destruction is astounding. Waters from the 
Brazos River, the San Bernard, and other creeks and bayous are out of 
their banks and wreaking havoc in our area.
  Mr. Speaker, I want my constituents to know that our office is 
already on the ground in the area, already working to ensure that FEMA 
is in gear, and that our constituents are taken care of. I would like 
to give a shout out to my great staff, Ms. Dodie Armstrong, Ms. Carmen 
Galvan, and Jed Webb, who have been on the ground there at the 
Emergency Management Center monitoring this almost night and day and 
interfacing with the county to provide them any assistance needed. We 
have assured Brazoria County that anything we can do, as my good friend 
Joaquin Castro was saying, from our end to assist, we would be glad to 
do that.
  Let me just add that we, too, mourn the loss of the Fort Hood 
soldiers. Our thoughts and prayers go out to them and their families.
  Mr. Speaker, we will bounce back from this. Our great Brazoria County 
first responders are on top of the situation, and our great Brazoria 
County folks are resilient. I have to say that about Congressman 
Green's Houston constituents as well, our Texas people.
  I have lived on the Gulf Coast of Texas almost 63 years. In fact, it 
will be 63 years this July 2nd coming up. I have seen nothing quite of 
this magnitude in flooding in our area, but I have seen a lot of 
hurricanes, a lot of disasters. Texans are a resilient people. They are 
going to need our help. They are going to need our prayers. They are 
going to need some time to heal and get back to business as usual.
  I want to say, again, thank you to my good friend, Al Green from 
Houston, for setting this up in a very bipartisan way. We just 
appreciate that.
  Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank the Honorable Randy 
Weber. I especially thank him for signing on early to the legislation 
that Congressman Gene Green called to our attention. I appreciate it 
greatly. We look forward to working with the gentleman. I thank him for 
the outstanding effort.

[[Page 8148]]

  Mr. Speaker, you heard one of our Members mention that we were having 
100-year and 500-year floods. This is debatable, I suppose, whether 
they are 100-year floods or 500-year floods, but there is one fact that 
is beyond dispute. It is beyond reproach. The fact is this: We are 
having billion dollar floods. Billion dollar floods, Mr. Speaker, in 
Houston, Texas.
  Within the last year, a little more than a year now, but within a 12-
month period of time, Houston, Texas, has been declared a disaster area 
twice. Twice. Over the last 20 years, billions of dollars spent, and we 
have had 4 to 5 days of flooding each year over the last 20 years.
  This flooding is causing great harm to property. There are people who 
have just moved back into their homes, Mr. Speaker, and they find 
themselves now being evicted by floodwaters again, waters that they 
cannot extricate themselves from. Their homes are stationary and fixed. 
They have to cope with these floods. They have to cope with their life 
after the floods. We are here tonight to let the country know that we 
in Houston, Texas, are tough. We are Texas tough. But there is 
something that we can do to help the people in Houston, Texas.
  I don't want to talk about that right now, to be quite candid with 
you. After losing the lives of our military persons in Fort Hood, 
Texas, I believe it is very important for us to make some special 
reference to them. These are people who have served this country, who 
were prepared to live and die for the country. They are persons who 
were in training, and they were among the finest that we have. I regret 
that we have lost them.
  All lives are precious. All lives are special. I came to the floor 
earlier, and I recited the names of persons who had lost their lives, 
some 16 persons in the Memorial Day flood and the tax day flood. At 
this time, I believe it necessary and appropriate to mention the 
persons who lost their lives in Fort Hood, nine soldiers.
  Mr. Speaker, we had a staff sergeant lose his life, Staff Sergeant 
Miguel Angel Colonvazquez, 38 years of age. Mr. Speaker, he served with 
honor. He received five Army Commendation Medals and Army Achievement 
Medals, three Army Good Conduct Medals, two Korea Defense Service 
Medals, the Army Service Ribbon, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization 
Medal, and other honors as well.
  Specialist Yingming Sun, age 25, from California. He received the 
National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Medal, the 
Korea Defense Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas 
Service Ribbon.
  Specialist Christine Faith Armstrong, age 27, from California. She 
received the National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism 
Medal, Korea Defense Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, and the 
Overseas Service Ribbon.
  Private First Class Brandon Austin Banner, 22 years of age. He 
received the National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism 
Medal, Korea Defense Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas 
Service Ribbon, Marksmanship Qualification Badge.
  Private First Class Zachery Nathaniel Fuller, age 23, Floridian. He 
received the National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism 
Medal, Army Service Ribbon.
  Private Isaac Lee Deleon, age 19. He received the National Defense 
Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Medal, Army Service Ribbon.
  Private Eddy Gates, age 20, North Carolina. She received the National 
Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Medal, Army Service 
Ribbon.
  Private Tysheena James, age 21. She received the National Defense 
Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Medal, Army Service Ribbon.
  Finally, Cadet Mitchell Alexander Winey, age 21. He was majoring in 
Engineering Management at West Point.
  Mr. Speaker, I am grateful for the time, and I would like to close 
with this, if you will allow. All of these people were meeting the 
measure of life that Ruth Smeltzer called to our attention: Some 
measure their lives by days and years, others by heartthrobs, passions 
and tears; but the surest measure under God's sun is what for others in 
your lifetime have you done.

                              {time}  1945

  These were persons who were committed to doing for others in this 
great country; and they were committed to doing it to the extent that, 
unfortunately, with all of their honors, they lost their lives in 
circumstances from which they could not extricate themselves under 
adverse weather conditions.
  I believe that they are worthy of a moment of a silence. They are 
worthy of much more, to be quite candid with you, but I believe that 
tonight this House should recognize all of them and all of those who 
have lost their lives with a moment of silence. And I shall ask that we 
engage in such at this time.
  Mr. Speaker, I would have the families of all of them note that they 
may be gone physically, but they will never be forgotten. We want the 
record to show that they served their country with distinction and with 
honor.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in 
recognition of the ongoing flooding in my home state of Texas. Texas 
has experienced numerous incidences of heavy rain and extreme weather 
events since last summer, which have resulted in extensive flooding, 
property damage, and tragic loss of life.
  Flooding and heavy rain has affected much of our vast state this 
spring. Flood warnings continue throughout Dallas County along the 
Trinity River this week, while my district has been the focus of flash 
flooding and severe weather for the better part of this year. Further 
throughout Texas, rain gauges at the Austin-Bergstrom International 
Airport, College Station-Bryan, and San Angelo have recorded the 
wettest spring seasons on record for these areas.
  Recent flooding in Texas has so far claimed the lives of 16 
individuals and has resulted in significant costs associated with 
property damage. Even more alarming is the fact that these catastrophic 
floods seem to be occurring with greater severity and frequency over 
time. More than ever, we need to recognize the effects of climate 
change on our normal weather systems. Before we can begin to seriously 
address these severe acts of nature, we must trace these events back to 
their root cause. Climate change is undeniably a significant 
contributing factor of the increase in frequency and severity of these 
storms.
  The State of Texas has fostered a strong relationship with our 
federal partners, such as the Department of Homeland Security, to 
deliver critical funding and emergency response for rescue and clean-up 
efforts. As long as these floods continue, we need to continue to build 
on our cooperation and work over the past year by not only improving 
our response to current events, but also by taking deliberate steps to 
mitigate future risks.
  Mr. Speaker, the extreme weather events that we are experiencing in 
Texas are emblematic of the potentially devastating consequences of 
climate change--and this is only the beginning. As we continue our 
efforts to assist the people of Texas, I urge for more federal 
assistance in our fight to address the recent rain and flooding while 
also mitigating future flooding concerns throughout the state.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, on April 17-18, 2016 Houston 
experienced a historic flood event that claimed the lives of eight 
people; damaged over 1,150 households; disrupted hundreds of 
businesses; closed community centers, schools, and places of worship 
due to flood waters.
  On Monday, April 25, I led a tour and held a press conference with 
the Army Corps of Engineers, local and state elected officials to focus 
on the damaged caused by the flood and to refocus our efforts on 
reducing the damage and frequency of flooding in the Houston area.
  On April 25, President Obama granted the request for federal 
Individual Assistance for Harris County residences and business owners 
who were affected by severe weather and flooding. I would like to thank 
all the local, state and federal officials who helped in making this 
possible.
  On May 3, 2016, I held a town hall for the residents of Houston, 
which includes my constituents in the 18th Congressional District so 
that they could learn from FEMA what resources were available to assist 
them with recovery.
  Unfortunately, that was not the end of the story of flooding in 
Houston for 2016--in early

[[Page 8149]]

June another record setting rainfall led to catastrophic flooding 
throughout the Houston area.
  At the beginning of this month Houston once again was flooded and 
another Disaster Assistance request was submitted to the White House.
  I am grateful to the President and the great work of those at the 
Department of Homeland Security who worked tirelessly to help people 
after both events.
  I spoke on the House Floor several times over the last six weeks 
about the floods and the suffering caused by the waters that came 
through our communities--damaging homes, our schools, places of 
business, and our places of worship.
  I am gratified that the House approved my amendments to The Energy 
and Water Appropriations Act which will help facilitate the $3 million 
needed to fund the Army Corps of Engineers' Houston Regional Watershed 
Assessment flood risk management feasibility study.
  The Energy and Water Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (H.R. 
5055) provides that the Secretary of the Army may initiate up to six 
new study starts during fiscal year 2017, and that five of those 
studies are to consist of studies where the majority of the benefits 
are derived from flood and storm damage reduction or from navigation 
transportation savings.
  My discussion on the House floor about Jackson Lee Amendment with 
Chairman Simpson and Ranking Member Kaptur of the Energy and Water 
Appropriations Subcommittee made a compelling case and legislative 
record that the Houston Regional Watershed Assessment Flood Risk 
Management Feasibility study is most deserving to be selected by the 
Secretary of the Army as one of the new study starts.
  The Energy and Water Appropriations Act is still under consideration 
in the House, and I continue to work with my colleagues in moving this 
important effort forward.
  The Houston Regional Watershed Assessment study is critically needed 
given the frequency and severity of historic-level flood events in 
recent years in and around the Houston metropolitan area.
  The purpose of the Houston Regional Watershed Assessment is to 
identify risk reduction measures and optimize performance from a multi-
objective systems performance perspective of the regional network of 
nested and intermingled watersheds, reservoir dams, flood flow 
conveyance channels, storm water detention basins, and related Flood 
Risk Management (FRM) infrastructure.
  Special emphasis of the study, which covers 22 primary watersheds 
within Harris County's 1,756 square miles, will be placed on extreme 
flood events that exceed the system capacity resulting in impacts to 
asset conditions/functions and loss of life.
  The Federal government should not run every aspect of our lives--but 
it is an umbrella on a rainy day--it is a shelter in a powerful storm.
  The Federal government is help when no other source of help can meet 
the challenges we may be facing is sufficient.
  It takes all sectors of a community to effectively prepare for, 
protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate against any 
disaster.
  We come together as community--we come together as Houstonians--we 
come together as Texans and yes--we come together as Americans to 
provide support, help and assistance to each other during difficult 
times.
  This is a difficult time for many in our city of Houston.
  Some of those who were hit hard by the flood are here tonight, but 
there are many others who suffered losses who were not able to be here.
  I ask that you take material with you to share with your neighbors, 
friends, family, and co-workers who had flood damage or economic 
impacts due to the flood, but were not able to join us tonight so that 
they can get the help they may need to recover from the historic 
flooding.
  You may qualify for FEMA Individual Assistance grants of up to 
$33,000 from the federal government, and low-interest disaster loans 
from the U.S. Small Business Administration.
  An estimated 240 billion gallons of water fell in the Houston area 
over a 12 hour period, which resulted in several areas exceeding the 
100 to 500 year flood event record.
  The records on floods are based upon the time period of rain fall, 
the location of the rain fall, and the duration of the event over a 
watershed.
  The areas that experienced these historic rain falls in April were 
west of 1-45, north of I-10, and Greens Bayou.
  An estimated 140 billion gallons of water fell over the Cypress 
Creek, Spring Creek, and Addicks watershed in just 14 hours.
  The flooding problems in the Houston area are frequent, widespread, 
and severe, with projects to reduce flood risks in place that are 
valued at several billion dollars.
  Recent historical flooding in the region was documented in 1979, 
1980, 1983, 1989, 1993, 1994, 1997, 2001 (Tropical Storm Allison), 
2006, 2007, and 2008 (Hurricane Ike).
  In 2015, the Houston and surrounding area experienced widespread 
historic flooding; and again two weeks ago we saw significant flooding 
damage and loss of life during the 12 hour flood event from April 17-
18, 2016.
  On June 6, 2016, I held a tour of the flood damage in Houston, Texas 
with the President and CEO of The American Red Cross Gail McGovern:
  Following the flooding in April I worked with FEMA and the city of 
Houston to provide housing to those left homeless by the flooding in 
April.
  Organized a Houston area delegation letter to appropriators to fund a 
study.
  Sent letters to appropriators on the impact of flooding on the region 
and requested that a similar effort to deal with storm surge be 
undertaken for the upper Texas Gulf Coast.
  On March 10, 2016, I held what is likely one of the first 
Congressional events to raise public awareness regarding Zika Virus and 
to ascertain the needs of local and state agencies who would be 
responsible for responding to the threat.
  On June 1, 2016, CDC reports are there are 1,732 confirmed Zika cases 
in the continental United States and U.S. Territories.
  Cases of the Zika Virus have been reported in every state in the 
United States except Alaska; Idaho; North Dakota; South Dakota; and 
Wisconsin.
  At that meeting I called for the following directives to happen:
  1. Establish a national task force to discuss the Zika virus;
  The First meeting of the Task Force occurred on Tuesday, June 7, 
2016.
  Other objectives that I outlined included:
  2. Creation of public service messages explaining what the word DEET 
means and why it is important to protect yourself with insect 
repellant;
  3. We must make sure that untreated mosquito bed netting is available 
to women and girls in high risk areas;
  4. Post posters in all public hospitals highlighting the dangers of 
the Zika virus and how one can protect themselves from the Zika virus;
  5. Hold a MAJOR briefing in Houston with officials from the CDC 
regarding the Zika virus;
  6. Conduct a Houston/Harris County Public service campaign to inform 
the community about traveling to Zika Virus mosquito borne infected 
regions around the world; and
  7. We must secure public and private funds to cleanup illegally 
dumped tires and other debris where mosquitos may breed near people.
  We must also rethink how testing is conducted for the Zika Virus.
  Dr. Peter Hotez, Dean of the School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor 
College of Medicine recommends that an aggressive testing and disease 
surveillance approach be adopted for areas of greatest risk along the 
Gulf Coast like the city of Houston.
  Sub-tropical climate;
  Areas of Extreme Poverty;
  Presence of the most threatening Zika Virus carrying mosquitoes the 
Aedes Aegypti;
  Mosquito breeding conditions that are supportive of spread of the 
disease from travelers who come to the Houston area with the illness.
  The CDC guidance for persons who seek testing for the disease should 
allow for greater testing in areas that have these conditions along the 
Gulf Coast from Texas to Florida.
  Mosquito surveillance along the Gulf Coast is not even nor as well-
resourced as it once was due to budget cuts and a lack of concern 
regarding mosquito borne disease, which has greatly reduced capacity 
and competence in this critical area.
  The mosquito that carries Zika Virus is known as the greatest killer 
of people--it is also known as the yellow fever mosquito.
  This Aedes mosquito is the real threat and it must be battled from 
the neighborhood level up to the county or parish level.
  President Obama's request for $1.9 Billion in Zika Virus Emergency 
Response Funding.
  The Senate passed a Zika Virus Appropriations of $1.1 billion, but 
unfortunately the House only provided $622 million.
  The Senate has called for a conference to reconcile the differences 
between the two bills.
  The CDC reported on May 30, 2016, that it has confirmed cases of the 
Zika Virus include 279 pregnant women in the United States or U.S. 
Territories.
  This number is double the number of cases reported the previous week.
  The CDC is reporting all pregnant women who have ``any laboratory 
evidence'' of possible infection, no matter what.

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  The CDC made the change after seeing reports of asymptomatic pregnant 
women--women with no symptoms who delivered children with known Zika 
Virus birth defects.
  These are sobering and troubling numbers this early in our mosquito 
season.
  These cases of Zika Virus include both travel related and those that 
were contracted from mosquito bites.
  The 13 Local Cases of the Zika Virus are all travel related thus far.
  Seven cases of the Zika Virus recorded by Harris County Public Health 
Environmental Services.
  Six reported by the City of Houston Public Health Department Reported 
cases of the Zika Virus.
  We know that 4 in 5 people who contract the Zika Virus have no 
symptoms.
  This is especially problematic for pregnant women who may become 
infected with the Zika Virus and have no symptoms.
  Although the contracting of the disease is most associated with 
mosquitoes it has been transmitted sexually.
  This presents other challenges to Zika Virus public education and 
preparedness.

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