Pete Domenici: “I rise to address Hurricane Katrina--- what we have been doing and what we should do next. Much has been said on this…”

“I rise to address Hurricane Katrina--- what we have been doing and what we should do next. Much has been said on this floor about good, and bad, responses to Hurricane Katrina. This morning I would like to reflect on the good responses. I would like to mention a few stories of self-sacrifice and generosity made by some people from my home State of New Mexico. A team from Sandia National Laboratory's and Los Alamos National Laboratory's National Infrastructure Simulation Analysis Center is helping to determine the impact of Hurricane Katrina on electric power infrastructure and oil and gas infrastructure. The Office of Naval Research deployed an Expeditionary Unit for Water Purification from Alamogordo to create potable water from brackish water in Mississippi. Evacuees have been welcomed to our State. In one of the many shows of financial generosity by New Mexicans, the Sandia Pueblo has donated $1 million to the American Red Cross. As another example, earlier this month two Dona Ana County Commissioners plan to donate their salaries for the rest of this year, totaling almost $12,000, to Katrina victims. Many law enforcement officers, firefighters, and other first responders from across the country are aiding in recovery efforts. One such group is from Bernalillo County, NM.…”