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Klobuchar Pledges to Work with Midwestern Communities As They Rebuild from Floods

Praises courage of Midwestern communities; will visit southeastern Minnesota to assess damage

June 16, 2008

Washington, D.C. – In a speech on the Senate floor today, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar praised the resilience and courage of Midwestern communities hit by devastating floods in recent days and pledged to work with local communities on recovery efforts and with federal disaster agencies to speed all possible federal assistance.

“I know these communities are strong, but it still hurts. Fields have turned into lakes. City streets turned into canals,’’ Klobuchar said. “Disasters can take away lives; they can destroy homes; and they can wipe away roads and bridges. But in America, we won’t let them take away our spirit of community.’’

On Sunday, Klobuchar spoke with the mayors of Rochester, Austin, and Lanesboro, Minnesota, to get an update on the floods and flood damage. She plans to visit the flooded communities later this week to inspect the damage and assess the need for federal assistance. In addition, Klobuchar’s office has been working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Small Business Administration regarding federal assistance for the affected areas.

“At a time like this, local communities should not be expected to fend for themselves,’’ Klobuchar said. “The federal government has an essential role to support communities as they recover and rebuild.’’

Klobuchar noted that the federal government has a responsibility to respond to national tragedies – first, making sure that people are safe and secure, then helping to see that those people are made whole again, and then making sure that their infrastructure is rebuilt again and made stronger so that such disasters do not recur.

Video of Senator Klobuchar’s full floor speech can be viewed by clicking here:

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