On the recordJuly 13, 2011
2011 is already the costliest year for natural disasters in history. Over $250 billion in economic damages have already been incurred around the world. In the U.S. alone, storms, flooding, wildfires, and earthquakes have already done roughly $27 billion in damage, more than double the annual average over the last decade. Living near the confluence of our country's two greatest rivers, the Mississippi and the Missouri, my constituents in the St. Louis region have rebuilt from floods many times, and we understand the challenges facing communities across the Nation during this unprecedented season of floods. Even after the cleanup has begun, flood-affected communities face the prospect of public health epidemics spread by dirty water, in effect, creating a double crisis for communities already struggling to pick up the pieces. We have all seen the shocking images from cities large and small along the Mississippi this spring, and the last thing these communities need are weakened clean water standards that would put them at risk of water-borne diseases or even toxic chemicals. My amendment to H.R. 2018 would ensure that communities recovering from devastating floods would not be burdened by the public health threats posed by dirty water. It simply states that none of the provisions of H.R. 2018 would apply where the President has declared a disaster due to flooding within the past 5 years or to waters that have contributed to such a flood.…
