Sheila Jackson Lee: “Let me indicate to my colleagues that this may be the most important, or one of the most important, and devastating…”

“Let me indicate to my colleagues that this may be the most important, or one of the most important, and devastating humanitarian crises that we have faced over the time frame that we have been in Congress. And let me say this. We have gone through Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. As I stand here today, there are a number of hurricanes that are in the gulf region. We add our sympathy to the people in California experiencing an enormous and terrible explosion. To my friend from Utah, he knows that those dear friends have experienced their own share of concerns certainly with natural disasters. So we don't take anything away from the suffering of the American people or others. Many of us remember the tsunami, for all of our communities were engaged in trying to get our hands around that natural disaster and to be of help. But as many have expressed as they have come back to the United States from Pakistan, Madam Speaker, I can assure you that this looms so large that it is without description.”