Steven Holt: “Today the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season officially begins, and so I come to the floor to speak for increased resources…”

“Today the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season officially begins, and so I come to the floor to speak for increased resources to prevent flood damage, as they have devastated our communities in New Jersey and around the eastern United States. In H.R. 5325, Chairman Frelinghuysen and the committee have provided for the U.S. Corps of Engineers $1.5 billion for planning, training, and other measures to ensure the readiness of the Corps to respond to floods, hurricanes, and other natural disasters. I thank the chairman and the committee for that work. This amount is $216.7 million below the amount that the Corps received for flood preparation in 2012. My amendment would provide an additional $2 million so the Corps can continue critical lifesaving flood preparation work. Although this won't close the funding gap, my amendment would demonstrate the commitment of Congress to addressing proactively the variety of problems that can result from severe weather events and flooding. Last August and September, many central New Jersey residents experienced flood damage due to Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee. Evacuations and property damage can be a heavy burden to bear for many of our constituents. In recent years, there have been deaths in New Jersey from such flooding. I was traveling through my district during and after last year's hurricane and saw firsthand the flooding damage in the Delaware and Raritan River Basins and elsewhere.…”