On the recordJune 1, 2015
I would ask the Senate's indulgence. I actually have three topics that I need to discuss here today. One topic involves the historic flooding that we have experienced in Texas and the consequences of that, also the President's signing the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act, and lastly, the bill that is before us on the floor today, which is another tool in the toolbox of the national security apparatus in this country to help keep Americans safe. Texas Floods First, Mr. President, let me talk about the flooding and storm damage that has affected Texas this last week or so. Over the course of a month, Texas has faced a deluge of storms and rain, and according to Texas A&M climatologists, May was the wettest month on record. Texas has been in a drought for a number of years now, and we are glad to get the rain, but we just wish that Mother Nature had spread it out over a longer period of time. The National Weather Service reported yesterday that in May Texas skies shed 37.3 trillion gallons of water, which translates into almost 8 inches of water covering the entire State--a state more than 268,000 square miles large. Unfortunately, this historic volume of water quickly turned into tragedy and massive destruction. Many Texans have experienced great loss. Some have lost their homes as the rivers came down without any warning and washed their houses from their foundation.…
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