Chris Murphy: “I support the amendment under consideration. I also want to say that I am pleased to work on language that was included…”

“I support the amendment under consideration. I also want to say that I am pleased to work on language that was included to authorize the Army Corps to study ways to provide additional flood relief in southwestern Pennsylvania, particularly the Chartiers Creek watershed. Over the years, many flood control projects have been built to minimize flood damage. However, as Hurricane Frances and Ivan made so clear, existing projects are inadequate. Last year's floods caused more than $260 million in damage in Pennsylvania, with Allegheny County the unwilling victim of most of it. Towns in my district incurred an estimated $60 million in damage; floodwaters killed one person and damaged more than 30,000 homes and businesses. To this day, many of my constituents in an already depressed area struggle to rebuild. Seventeen existing flood control projects have yet to be repaired or restored, and just this week, many of my local communities met to discuss leftover debris. Our towns cannot wait any longer for the projects authorized in this bill, and I encourage my colleagues to support the bill.”