Norman Mineta: “I rise in support of H.R. 3759, the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act of 1994. There should be no…”

“I rise in support of H.R. 3759, the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act of 1994. There should be no misunderstanding--the Northridge earthquake is a national disaster and we must treat it as such--as we have in the aftermath of the Midwest flooding last year, Hurricane Andrew, and the Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989. We must not lose sight of the fact that H.R. 3759 responds to the Los Angeles earthquake in the same way that past efforts, which many of us have supported, have responded to other national disasters. Disasters are a national issue. Today, it's California. Before, it was the Virgin Islands, Florida, Hawaii, and the Midwest. Tomorrow, it may be your State or your district. National issues require a national response. H.R. 3759 is premised on the best of intentions--to meet the needs of our citizens and our Nation. Make no mistake about it, the Northridge earthquake inflicted economic devastation, and I witnessed it first hand. We all know of the tragically high death and injury totals. The earthquake left tens of thousands homeless. Lives have been changed forever. For many, the trauma will never be forgotten. How can we put a price tag on emotional and psychological stress? How can we put a price tag on the loss of a loved one--a wife, a single parent, a friend? How can we forget the TV pictures of the collapsed apartment where so many died and so many of us shared in the sorrow?”