Gwen Graham: “by now everyone is well aware of the destruction Florida has endured over the past 45 days. First, Tropical Storm Bonnie…”

“by now everyone is well aware of the destruction Florida has endured over the past 45 days. First, Tropical Storm Bonnie struck the panhandle. Then Hurricane Charley crashed into Florida's west coast. That was followed by Hurricane Frances, which wreaked havoc throughout the State. And last week Hurricane Ivan tore through the panhandle. As a result of these storms, today 61 of the State's 67 counties have been declared disaster areas. Floridians are grateful for the Senate's quick action in providing the initial $2 billion in relief funds. They also look forward to the Senate's quick consideration of the President's supplemental request for additional assistance. As important as this Federal assistance is, however, it represents only a fraction of the money needed for Florida's families to rebuild. The Insurance Information Institute estimates that insurance companies will pay out more than the $15.5 billion in insurance claims paid as a result of Hurricane Andrew. Of course, that amount is not the entirety of losses Floridians have suffered. In fact, as a result of the magnitude of the claims incurred from Hurricane Andrew Floridians will be responsible for a larger share of the losses from these storms than they incurred in 1992. Many Floridians will face thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket costs as a result of these storms.”