Political Quotes

“1998 will long be remembered in the State of Maine as the year of the Ice Storm. In early January the state was coated with more than three inches of ice--the result of a once in a lifetime storm that left more than 80 percent of the State without power. It was an extraordinary event--both for the way the people of Maine pulled together and for the damage it did to the state's utility infrastructure. The reaction of the people of Maine was proof positive that ``Maine: the way life should be'' is not just a slogan, it is a fact. I was overwhelmed by the resiliency and compassion I witnessed across the state last month, and Senator Collins and I shared our thoughts and our praise for the people of Maine on the Senate floor. We have worked, along with our colleagues from Vermont, Senators Jeffords and Leahy and New York, Senators D'Amato and Moynihan, to obtain additional federal assistance, through the Community Development Block Grants Program (CDBG) to help cover damage done in the state that FEMA did not cover. Specifically, the damage done to the state's utility infrastructure. I appreciate the assistance provided to us by the Chairman, the Senator from Alaska, Mr. Stevens, Chairman Bond of the VA/HUD Subcommittee, and the Ranking Member of that Subcommittee, Senator Mikulski in crafting this amendment. The amendment, which I am cosponsoring, will provide $260 million for the CDBG program.”