Capitol Comment

Statement

Capitol Comment

by Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison

Recovering from Disaster, Preparing for the Future

Sam Houston once said, "Texas has yet to learn submission to any oppression, come from what source it may." The recent floods in north and central Texas are a tragic reminder of the devastating impact natural disasters have on our families, businesses and communities. In recent years, our state has weathered hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, droughts and wildfires in unusual frequency and severity. However, when disaster strikes, we rise to the challenge and recover. As your senator, I am committed to helping Texans in every possible way.

Earlier this month, I saw firsthand some of the flooding that impacted over 6 million Texans across 49 counties. In some places, entire neighborhoods were underwater and families were forced to evacuate to higher ground. Roads I had traveled with my family near Lake Texoma only a few weeks ago were completely submerged.

To help Texans recover and rebuild, I have worked directly with the president's administration and the governor's office to obtain federal disaster declarations for a growing number of counties affected by recent flooding. A federal declaration makes grants and loans available for recovery efforts, such as basic home or business repairs and the rebuilding of vital public infrastructure. In some cases, federal assistance is also available to offset economic setbacks like business or agricultural losses. Archer, Bell, Burnet, Cooke, Coryell, Denton, Eastland, Grayson, Hood, Lampasas, Parker, Starr, Tarrant, Victoria, Webb, Wichita and Williamson counties have received disaster declarations and are now eligible to request federal aid.

Unfortunately, flooding is not the only natural hazard to affect our state. Few Texans can forget the destructive impact Hurricane Rita had on our coastal region. This powerful storm struck while much of the Gulf Coast was still reeling from the effects of Hurricane Katrina. Many Texans who had welcomed displaced neighbors into their homes suddenly became victims themselves.

As federal relief efforts focused on other Gulf Coast states, I worked to ensure that Texans hit by Hurricane Rita received equal treatment alongside our neighbors. Federal authorities initially proposed to reimburse local governments in Louisiana for 90 percent of their recovery costs, while compensating Texas cities and counties for a significantly smaller amount. But, Hurricane Rita didn't discriminate along state lines and neither should the federal government. Working with my colleagues, I was able to enact the same reimbursement rate for Texas and secure billions in aid for rebuilding efforts.

Our farming and ranching communities have also been hard-hit by disasters. Last year, drought and wildfires caused an estimated $4.1 billion in crop and livestock losses in nearly 200 Texas counties. These losses were overwhelming for many of the families and individuals in our vital agriculture industry. Thankfully, working with the U. S. Department of Agriculture, Congress helped offset these losses and brought significant disaster assistance to our Texas producers.

While we cannot predict when and where natural disasters will strike, proper advance planning is vital to the protection of our families and the rebuilding of our communities. I urge you to do your part by making sure that you and your family have a safety or evacuation plan ready for floods, fire, severe storms, tornadoes and—if you live in a coastal area—hurricanes. I also encourage you to obtain realistic insurance coverage for your home or business, as no government relief will ever be entirely sufficient. You can visit the Department of Homeland Security's website, http://www.ready.gov, for emergency planning advice and practical tips.

If your family or business has been a victim of a natural disaster, please feel free to contact FEMA or my office at http://hutchison.senate.gov to find out what assistance may be available. We are not able to prevent natural disasters, but working together we can protect our families and communities and help rebuild when calamities occur.

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