Political Quotes

“the Administration, as part of its fiscal year 2001 budget request, submitted a supplemental request for $6.6 million to begin planning, engineering, and design as well as an environmental review of an emergency outlet for Devils Lake, North Dakota. I am deeply disappointed that the bill before us today fails to provide this critical funding. During consideration of the supplemental by the House Appropriations Committee on March 9, 2000, Congressman Visclosky offered an amendment to include $6.6 million for the Devils Lake emergency outlet. Unfortunately, the amendment failed on a straight party line vote of 24-30. To date, the federal government has spent $300 million in the Devils Lake region, including $80 million to raise roads and $21 million to relocate 505 homes. Currently, eight miles of threatened roads in the basin are in need of significant structural reinforcement so that they can serve as dikes to hold back the encroaching lake from homes and other property. The Corps' preliminary estimate is that approximately $30-50 million will be needed to address just these 8 miles of road. If the lake continues to rise as projected, federal, state and local governments can expect to spend over $500 million more on flood response in the absence of an outlet and other mitigation measures.”