Political Quotes

“Madam President, I rise to speak about the flooding that has devastated wide swaths of the Midwest in recent weeks. A harsh winter, combined with unseasonably warm weather and heavy rains, created conditions that overwhelmed much of our flood mitigation infrastructure up and down the Missouri River and its tributaries. In Iowa alone, the flooding has caused an estimated $1.6 billion in damages. Thousands of homes have been damaged or destroyed, and nearly 250 miles of levees will need to be repaired or rebuilt. Thousands of acres of farmland have been impacted, with there being losses to the ag sector in excess of $200 million. Fremont County, which is our furthest southwest county in the State of Iowa, has lost $7 million worth of grain. I spent much of last week on the ground in Iowa, visiting hard-hit areas of the State and meeting with local, State, and Federal officials. In my years as a member of the Iowa National Guard, I was on the frontlines of several of our major flood events, including the 2008 Cedar Rapids flood and the 2011 Missouri River flood. I can tell you that what I witnessed in this flood event was the worst flooding and destruction that I have ever witnessed. The devastation is simply incomprehensible, with the most severe damage being concentrated in Iowa's western most counties. I have spent most of my life in southwest Iowa. So this hits particularly close to home for me.…”