On the recordMay 2, 2011
we have heard some terrible stories about severe weather and the damage it is causing across the United States. My heart goes out to the people of Tuscaloosa, AL, and all the communities in the South that were ravaged by tornadoes of record force and velocity. In the Midwest, our problems are more subtle but also devastating in terms of the impact of floodwaters. It is nothing new in our part of the world. We have the confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers at the southern tip of our State, further north on the Mississippi, the Illinois River and the Missouri River. Whenever there is heavy rainfall in one area or more, it ends up raising the levels of those rivers to perilous heights, which can inundate communities. I can't tell my colleagues how proud I am of the people who come forward in the midst of this type of challenge every single year. Thank goodness it seems as though there is never a lack of volunteers. People are always willing to step up, starting with the National Guard. They always do the best job possible, and I thank them over and over for what they do. Then, local law enforcement works overtime--the firefighters, the police, and all the rest. Then there is the extra work that is going on in hospitals and clinics and nurses and doctors working overtime.…





