[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 11]
[House]
[Page 15148]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1845
                      NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS MONTH

  (Mr. DONOVAN asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. DONOVAN. Mr. Speaker, September is National Preparedness Month, 
and I rise today to offer prayers, condolences, and encouragement for 
those impacted by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria.
  Also, I rise to thank the thousands of first responders, neighbors, 
and volunteers who have come out in droves to respond to these 
disasters. I stand with those residents now recovering from storm and 
flood devastation.
  This Nation stands behind you ready to make you stronger and more 
resilient in the face of disaster. As a resident of a city that faced 
many disasters, I can attest to the fact that Americans across this 
Nation are resilient and only grow in strength in the face of a 
challenge.
  In the wake of these disasters and as we remember the 16th 
anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks and prepare to mark 
the fifth anniversary of Superstorm Sandy next month, we are reminded 
of the critical importance of preparing for the disasters that our 
communities may face. We cannot always control whether a disaster will 
strike our communities, but we can take every opportunity to prepare 
ourselves, our loved ones, and our communities.
  We are a resilient nation in the face of disasters. As a resident of 
Staten Island and chairman of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on 
Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Communications, I urge all 
Americans to take time this month to make a plan, sign up for alerts 
and warnings in your area, check your insurance coverage, and make sure 
that you have an evacuation plan. We cannot plan on disasters ahead of 
time, but we can certainly prepare ourselves for when they come.

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