Mr. President, I rise today to express my deepest sympathies and offer steadfast support to the countless Tennesseans who have experienced tragedy in the recent days. It has been a rough few weeks in our great State. Last week, my hometown of Chattanooga lost six young children in a tragic schoolbus crash. Today, countless East Tennesseans face a long road ahead after severe storms and tornadoes ripped through southeast Tennessee, leaving tremendous damage and taking the lives of two individuals in Polk County. Tomorrow morning, I will be in another area of our State that is dealing with unimaginable tragedy. As you have likely seen by now, the damage caused by wildfires in Sevier County, the place where my wife was raised, is heartbreaking. While officials continue to assess the full extent of the damage, we know that many have suffered tremendous loss. As of this morning, officials confirmed that they are still addressing the remnants of smoldering wildfires. More than 400 firefighters are supporting the effort. The exact number of structures affected remains unknown, but local officials are estimating 700 impacted structures and more than 17,000 acres burned. More than 200 individuals remain in shelters, and just moments ago, we learned that 10 fatalities have been confirmed. Sevier County is a special place, surrounded by some of the country's most beautiful God-given amenities.…
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