CULBERSON: Hurricane Harvey One Year Later

Congressman John Culberson Texas Insider Report: WASHINGTON D.C. Hurricane Harvey made landfall a year ago today and showed the entire world what it means to be a Texan and more importantly what it means to be a Houstonian. It was neighbors helping neighbors and strangers helping strangers. My wife Belinda and I were trapped in our neighborhood in Copperfield for several days and my brothers home in Fleetwood flooded.  Belindas family in Orange also lost everything they own. Harvey impacted nearly everyone in southeast Texas. During the storm and immediately after I used my network of relationships with local state and federal officials and law enforcement agencies to coordinate the delivery of donated goods and direct the Cajun Navy to rescue neighbors. When I was finally able to leave my neighborhood the scale of the catastrophe became immediately apparent. I went all over the district by truck and by boat to help neighbors clean up. It was heartbreaking and inspiring all at once. Heartbreaking to see lifetimes of memories piled up on curbs but inspiring to see everyone helping each other. I met people from all over the country who drove here with their boats and food to help us out. Strengthening our flood-control network has always been one of my highest priorities and it reached new urgency after Harvey. The White House originally proposed only $44 billion in disaster relief funding for the victims of last years hurricanes across the country. I knew this wasnt enough. Using my senior position on the Appropriations Committee I was able to bring together the Texas and Florida Congressional Delegations in a bipartisan fashion to pass a package of bills that secured $141 billion for the victims of last years hurricanes in Texas Florida and Puerto Rico. I was in the right position at the right time to truly deliver for Houston. Nearly $5 billion of that flood control construction money has already been designated for Texas which is enough to finish every federally authorized flood-control project in Harris County. This means Brays Bayou and White Oak Bayou in District 7 will be finished far faster and at full federal expense. In this years hurricane relief bill I secured federal funding to speed up design and construction of a third reservoir. I am also working to find a way to rapidly increase the capacity of the Addicks and Barker Reservoirs. Right now I am focused on getting the disaster relief money passed by Congress into the hands of those who need it most. I am in constant contact with our federal and state agencies to ensure that this money is distributed quickly equally and efficiently. As your representative in Washington I have already secured enough funding to replace the gates at the Addicks and Barker Reservoirs.  After Tropical Storm Allison I made sure the Texas Medical Center had enough money to make their basements and tunnels more flood resistant. As the only appropriator from southeast Texas I have fully funded every flood control request from the Harris County Flood Control District. In the wake of Harvey we should plan and build flood protection for future Houstonians in the same way our forefathers built the Houston Ship Channel in the wake of the 1900 Galveston Hurricane. I am in the right place at the right time to help make that happen. After being a father and a husband serving as your representative in Congress is the greatest privilege of my life. Thank you for your trust as I serve on your behalf in our nations Capitol.