Roy Blunt: “I would like to talk about an amendment to this bill that could be offered later. I am not offering it at this time. I…”

“I would like to talk about an amendment to this bill that could be offered later. I am not offering it at this time. I am being joined in this amendment by my good friend from Florida, Senator Nelson. This amendment would be a suggestion about what we can do to be sure the things we build have a better chance of lasting, construction that meets real stress. In both of our States, in Missouri and Florida, we have some significant experience with weather conditions that are damaging to people and property. On May 22, 2 years ago, 2011, in Joplin, MO, right on the Arkansas and the Oklahoma border, we had an EF5 tornado hit that community. It killed 61 people. It destroyed 7,000 homes, 500 businesses, and damaged others. This was a huge impact on people and the homes they had, the businesses they had. As they rebuilt, the cities tried to focus on rebuilding in a way that would protect lives and save money if something like that happens again by creating structures that can withstand the most severe storms there and in other places in our State. We have had many stories over the years. There are people who literally got in the freezer in the garage or in the utility room or people who got in the bathtub and then pulled a mattress on top of themselves and tried to ride out the storm, and they would just as soon not do that.…”