On the recordJanuary 7, 2016
I am joined today by Congressmen Thompson, Harper, and Palazzo, all from Mississippi. We rise to mourn the 11 lives that were lost in Mississippi due to severe weather over the Christmas holiday. We had 11 deaths and 57 injuries reported in Benton, Coahoma, Marshall, and Tippah Counties, which are two of our four districts. On Governor Bryant's request, President Obama issued a major disaster declaration for the State of Mississippi. The Presidential disaster declaration makes Federal assistance available to eligible individuals and business owners in designated areas. As I visited the impacted areas, I was saddened by the amount of destruction, of the loss of property, and, most importantly, of the loss of life; but I was uplifted by neighbors helping neighbors, by friends helping friends, and by strangers helping strangers. That is the strength of Mississippi: The people who come together to help each other in times of need. I cannot begin to imagine the sense of loss felt by the families who were affected. We ask our colleagues to join us in continuing to lift them up in prayer. Mr. Speaker, I ask for a moment of silence. ____________________
