Senate Proceeding 05-07-09 on May 7th, 2009 :: 1:26:45 to 1:34:25
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1:26:35 to 1:26:56( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: quorum call: mr. nelson: the presiding officer: the senator from florida. mr. nelson: the quorum call be the presiding officer: without objection, so ordered. the senator from florida. mr. nelson: mr. president, a couple of weeks ago senator martinez and i had the privilege

1:26:45 to 1:34:25( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Bill Nelson

1:26:57 to 1:27:19( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: of introducing craig fugate, president obama's nominee for the head of fema. and that was to introduce him to the committee, the senate homeland security and government affairs committee. and then the comttee promptly reported him right out. and it's because he's so uniquely qualified.

1:27:20 to 1:27:43( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: craig of emergency management in our state since 2001 and he's overeing the response to 11 presidential declared disasters in our state. he's one of the most respected leaders in emergency management

1:27:44 to 1:28:05( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: in the country and he's the one, if you want a pro's pro, he has the experience and that fema needs at this look at how he came up: a former firefighter, a par media, a fire resc

1:28:06 to 1:28:28( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: rescue manager, all of that is in alachua county, which is gainesville, florida. and he spent 15 years working in local before he went up to the emergency operation center at the state level and since he has

1:28:29 to 1:28:49( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: become the director of emergency management, he's handled the responses to the landfall of five major hurricanes in florida, and that was within a two-year time period. and i'll never forget when

1:28:50 to 1:29:10( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: hurricane charlie came barreling up the southwest florida coast, and it was headedtraight for tampa bay and suddenly at the last minute it took a right-hd turn and it went right up

1:29:11 to 1:29:31( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: charlott pungora, florida. people evacuated tampa and had come to the hotels, especially in puntgorda, and they were in the middle of the storm. that storm was so intense that

1:29:32 to 1:29:53( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: it blew the roof off of the charlotte county operations center. they had to evacuate the e.o.c. in the middle of the storm. i got there later that day when the storm hit that morning and i'll never forget seeing craig in the mobil operation center that the state

1:29:54 to 1:30:17( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: of florida had brought in as he was taking over and directing operations in the midst of that chaos. and because our florida disasters with a sense of urgency and efficiency, it has

1:30:18 to 1:30:39( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: emerged as a role model for disaster preparation and disaster response. and that in large part has been as a result of the leadership of craig fugate. it's also very interesting when you respond to these natural disasters tt you have

1:30:40 to 1:31:01( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: th coopetion between civilian emergency response and, of course, the florida national guard is the best in the business because they know how to take care of business when it comes to emergency response to hurricanes.

1:31:02 to 1:31:24( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: and under craig's leadership, florida has become the first state to receive full accreditation for its emergency management program. craig not only has the creativity but he has a sense of humor, and he judges after a hurricane by the waffle

1:31:25 to 1:31:45( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: house test. and he is open after the hurricane, then that means and there's water, so you keep going. if the waffle house is closed, things are pretty bad.

1:31:46 to 1:32:07( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: a lot of things have been shut down. and if the waffle house is open and they h then it meanthat the power has been out for while because everything in their freezer has melted and it's spoiled. i think craig's exemplary

1:32:08 to 1:32:28( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: service speaks for itself, and, mr. president, i want to put into the record a number of documents, a letter from our governor, governor crist, a letter from host of organizations all the way from the american red cross -- i won't

1:32:29 to 1:32:50( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: list them all but it goes all the way through the national wildlife federation and the america. i have another one here council of state governments. everybody singing craig fugate's praises. the presiding officer: without objection, so ordered.

1:32:51 to 1:33:16( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: mr. nelson: and it is my hope that the hold that is on craig for an issue unrelated to craig, related to the question of fema putting a flood on some are of new orleans, it's my hope that we can

1:33:18 to 1:33:38( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: that and get all, this is now one week into the month of and rember, hurricane season officially starts june the 1st. and we in place so that fema is ready

1:33:39 to 1:33:59( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: to when there is another challenge facing the gulf coast and the atlantic coast and even potentially the pacific coast. so i hope the ac quickly on his confirmation. mr. president, i yield the floor, and i suggest the absence

1:34:00 to 1:34:13( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll.