[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 9]
[House]
[Page 12051]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




         SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR FLOODING IN LOUISIANA

  (Mr. GRAVES of Louisiana asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. GRAVES of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, yesterday I had the opportunity 
to come and update the House on the flooding conditions in the State of 
Louisiana. I talked about how this is, potentially, the fourth most 
costly flood disaster in U.S. history. Louisiana received 31 inches of 
rain in a 36-hour period, which is what the American average rainfall 
is. It would translate to nearly 25 feet of snow if it were a 
snowstorm.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to put this in a personal context. Think about a 
person who owns a $200,000 house. That person's house is now worth 
$100,000 because it is flooded and gutted. That person is going to have 
to pay $120,000 to finish his mortgage, which means he is upside down 
on his mortgage. It is going to cost him $80,000 to rebuild his house, 
$40,000 to replace his car, $10,000 to replace his wardrobe.
  Mr. Speaker, the Stafford Act is insufficient to address these 
financial situations that people are facing today. This isn't one 
person. This is tens of thousands of homeowners and businessowners 
across south Louisiana who are facing this impossible financial 
decision before them in the coming weeks.
  I urge the White House to immediately send a supplemental 
appropriations request to the Congress. Let's get working on this and 
resolve this issue. Make this an easy decision for folks back home so 
we can get back on our feet.

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