Political Quotes

“On September 7, 8, and 9, the Susquehanna River and some of its tributaries, swollen by the remnants of Tropical Storm Lee, overflowed their banks. This happened shortly after northeastern Pennsylvania was soaked by Hurricane Irene, which brought local rivers and creeks to their banks. So when Tropical Storm Lee moved in over my district, the results were catastrophic. In some communities, the floodwaters came quickly. Creeks raged out of control. Homes were swept off their foundations and toppled into muddy pits. Roads were washed away. In other communities, the water rose more slowly, but it did no less damage. I was there in the town of Duryea, Pennsylvania, when the Lackawanna River topped the small levee and began flooding homes. It was like watching someone fill an aquarium, although this was much, much more destructive. I spent many days in September traveling across my district to see firsthand the devastation caused by this flooding. It's hard to describe exactly what it looks like. Think of everything you have on the first floor of your home--your couch, reclining chairs, your refrigerator, your stove, your dishwasher, your television. Maybe you have a bedroom on the first floor--your mattress, your dresser. Then think of everything you have in your basement--a washer, a drier, your furnace, your hot water heater, your winter clothing. Now imagine all of that on the sidewalk ready for a dumpster because it is soaked with river water.…”