Political Quotes

“I come to reflect on the 1-year anniversary of rain and winter storms that swept across the State of Illinois, causing widespread flooding and devastation. In the midst of the holidays, heavy rainfall of over 7 inches a day in some areas caused water levels on rivers in Illinois to reach record, or near record, heights. The Mississippi River at Thebes reached its highest crest level on record at 47.7 feet. Flooding forced many communities to evacuate their homes for their own safety. Damages to property in these Illinois communities totaled more than $15 million. Sadly, these storms were so severe that flooded roadways tragically claimed the lives of 10 people whose vehicles were swept away by flooding. Alexander and Randolph counties were two areas most impacted by this flood. I went to visit two towns in these areas--Olive Branch, IL, and Evansville, IL--and I saw miles of flood damage to agricultural lands, homes, and businesses. What I saw was heartbreaking. I spoke with residents who were concerned about being able to recover from the flood and resulting damages and who were concerned about what could happen if levees overtop and breach again in the future. People like Bruce Ford, from Olive Branch, IL, worked day and night to clean out debris and move equipment back into their businesses, but he worried about how long he would be out of business and whether or not he would be able to rebuild in the event of another disaster.…”