Political Quotes

“Madam Speaker, I rise in support of Mr. Maloney's motion and to underscore the importance of the safety of dams. I would like to talk for a moment about a small town in which I grew up in west Texas. I heard often the story of a fateful night in Sanderson, Texas, in June of 1965 after heavy rains caused a 15-foot wall of water to come rolling through Sanderson Canyon. The water came down with such force that it turned bridges and buildings into torpedoes. The two cemeteries lost burial markers, and caskets were washed out. Families lost homes. Many lost everything. There were 28 people in Sanderson, Texas, who died, and two were never recovered. Since that flood in 1965, 11 dams have been built, which in unison have acted as a flood control system for Sanderson Canyon. We don't want any more Sanderson flood-type experiences. El Paso, Presidio, and Del Rio all have experiences with water rushing through canyons and, in coming through, causing damage. The only things that have saved life and property have been these dams that have been in existence now for some time. As the ranking member mentioned earlier, those dams are incredibly important. They are incredibly important in saving property, and they are incredibly important in saving lives. Significantly, across the country, nearly half of these dams are more than 50 years old. It is incredibly important that they be maintained and maintained well.…”