Ted Poe: “nearly a quarter of a million folks from Louisiana are now in Texas due to the devastating impact of Hurricane Katrina.…”

“nearly a quarter of a million folks from Louisiana are now in Texas due to the devastating impact of Hurricane Katrina. Taking care of these people is a daunting task, but the good people of southeast Texas have risen to the challenge. Today, I would especially like to acknowledge the hard work being done by our faith community. They include the Spring Tabernacle in Spring, Texas; the First Baptist Churches of South Houston, Katy, and Houston, Texas; the Bayshore Baptist Church in LaPorte; the New Life Church in LaPorte; the Second Baptist Churches of Baytown and Houston, Texas; Holy Family Catholic Church in Baytown; the Calvary Baptist Church in Beaumont; and the Memorial Church of Christ in Houston. There are many other churches in Harris, Liberty, and Jefferson Counties who have set up shelters that house evacuees numbering into the thousands. Dozens of other churches have started donation sites and food banks that have been so effective that the Houston Area Salvation Army has stated they have plenty of items for these evacuees. Madam Speaker, while the work of these churches is extraordinary, they do not seem to think so. To them, they are doing exactly what they should be doing. They are just following the good biblical principle of taking care of and loving their neighbor. ____________________”