Thomas Foley: “When people think of Palm Beach County, they immediately think of polo fields in Palm Beach and Worth Avenue; but the…”

“When people think of Palm Beach County, they immediately think of polo fields in Palm Beach and Worth Avenue; but the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Hastings) and I well know that the people living in the Glades area are struggling. Lake Okeechobee, the largest lake on the Eastern Seaboard, is in fact experiencing its worst drought in memory. We are not just talking about Pahokee. We are talking about Okeechobee, Buckhead Ridge, Canal Point, Clewiston, Moore Haven, Harlem, Lakeport, Belle Glade, all people who derive the livelihood and the ability to feed their families from this precious resource, Lake Okeechobee and its tributaries. I salute the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Hastings) for coming to the floor today and making this dramatic point of how much we need help. Governor Jeb Bush, as he mentioned, has sent a letter urging our colleagues to join with us in this very important pledge to help these small communities around the lake.”