Rod Grams: “As we discuss the topic of voluntarism, I rise today to acknowledge a group of individuals who are making a very big…”

“As we discuss the topic of voluntarism, I rise today to acknowledge a group of individuals who are making a very big difference, a tremendous difference as the people of Minnesota are fighting the floodwaters that have paralyzed so much of our State. The men and women of the Minnesota National Guard have stepped up these last several weeks and served with distinction under what have been very deplorable conditions. Battling a rising river is back-breaking work in itself. It is nearly impossible when combined with the ice and the extreme cold produced by a blizzard. Yet those are the conditions that the Guard endured as they worked side by side with the residents of Minnesota's flood devastated communities. Well over 2,000 National Guard troops have been called up to assist in both preventing flood damage and cleaning up when the waters finally begin to recede. These are men and women who have full-time jobs and lives outside the Guard and take time away from their other responsibilities to fulfill an obligation they feel to Minnesota and its communities.”