Dan Coats: “I wish to speak as in morning business on a matter that affects a lot of Hoosiers. I do so with a great sense of…”

“I wish to speak as in morning business on a matter that affects a lot of Hoosiers. I do so with a great sense of heartfelt condolence to all who have suffered from the tragic storm and tornadoes that swept across the southern part of our State this past Friday, gratitude for all of those who responded in such a wonderful way to address this situation, and deep pride for the people of Indiana for how they have come together to help one another. Mother Nature's unforgiving force Friday afternoon, changed the lives of many Hoosiers. Imagine, if you would, a stretch of land extending for nearly 50 miles, between a quarter of a mile and a half mile wide, with everything in its path destroyed by tornadoes that touched down and moved with such unimaginable force. Most of us from the Midwest are used to tornadoes that usually jump around and take out a shed here, a barn there, maybe a home, in perhaps a short stretch of space, but I have never seen--and most have never seen--a tornado that touches down and stays down for miles and miles with 175 mile-per-hour winds crushing everything in its path. On Sunday, I flew over the path of the tornadoes and walked on the ground and saw a site of total destruction. Every home and every business in that path destroyed. Every open field was strewn with debris. Some debris carried for miles before it was deposited.…”