Published November 1985 — Download PDF of the original newspaper column
Byrd's Eye View By U.S. Senator Robert C. Byrd Extending a Helping Hand Thanksgiving is a holiday that gives Americans an opportunity to reflect on their blessings and to think about the things that are meaningful to them. But for many West Virginians this Thanksgiving, a wall of water has washed away much of what gives life meaning. In more than half of West Virginia's 55 counties, the floods of the first week of November have left thousands of West Virginians with little more than their lives. Thousands of homes have been damaged or destroyed, and nearly 50 West Virginians are either dead or missing. Never have I seen so much devastation resulting from a flood. In my trips to the state's worst-hit areas, I have seen homes reduced to rubble; businesses lying in ruins; and concrete bridges and railroad tracks snapped like kindling, leaving large gaps in the state's transportation network. Not only have many West Virginians rallied around their friends and neighbors at this time of crisis, but officials on the local, state, and federal levels have also swung into action. Community volunteers have set up temporary shelters and are providing meals, clothing, and other basic needs. State officials have set up a special fund to handle flood relief donations, and are working with federal officials on the relief effort. On the federal level, I have pursued a number of options to speed federal assistance to West Virginia. For example, I was successful in helping to convince the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to exempt West Virginia from having to pay most of the required 25 percent share of any community recovery assistance from FEMA and the Army Corps of Engineers. I met with Transportation Secretary Dole to gain her support for emergency road and bridge repair in the state, an essential element for the rebuilding of our communities, and I was able to gain Senate approval for an amendment I sponsored on behalf of myself and Sen. Rockefeller, Sens. Warner and Trible of Virginia, and Sen. Johnston of Louisiana that increases from $30 million to $55 million the amount of bridge and road repair funds available to West Virginia from the Federal Highway Administration. Also I am seeking an appropriation of $25 million to begin stream and river bed work in the counties hit by flooding. Finally, I have been working with Governor Moore, the West Virginia Congressional delegation, and the top officials of FEMA, which is heading up the federal assistance effort in the state, and with other federal agencies to speed up help for the flood victims. Our fellow West Virginians need our help to• day, but more than that, they will need our help tomorrow as they struggle to put their lives back together. The recovery from the disaster of the flood will be slow and laborious, but we can help our fellow West Virginians by supporting them in their time of need. November 20, 1985