Recognizing Milwaukee's Severe Flooding

Floor Speech

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Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in agony about the severe flooding that recently struck southeastern Wisconsin, hitting my district and my constituents hard.

On August 9, the so-called 1000-year flood dumped record rainfall across Wisconsin, bringing flooding and sewage backup that cost millions of dollars in damage, left thousands without power, and forced many from their homes.

Recent reports indicate that this flooding has been responsible for a loss of life. I have no doubt that many more lives would have been lost were it not for the tireless work of our brave first responders.

The fire department from Milwaukee, for example, responded to over 600 calls, rescuing people from their cars who were trapped by the surging floodwaters.

At Governor Tony Evers' request, FEMA teams have worked alongside State and county authorities to fully assess the damage wrought by this flooding. With that work largely done now, the Governor has requested a major disaster declaration that would unlock Federal assistance for many households, businesses, and the public.

We are still trying to put this all together and figure out how to pay for this. I urge our President to immediately approve Governor Evers' request for a Federal disaster declaration, a request supported by the entire delegation on both sides of the aisle.

Mr. Speaker, this just shows us the irreplaceable role of the Federal Government in helping to put victims' lives back together.

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