NASHVILLE, TN—United States Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today joined Governor Bill Lee, Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), and Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) officials at a press conference to provide an update on the deadly flooding across parts of middle Tennessee. The press conference occurred after Hagerty, Lee, Blackburn, and others surveyed damage and met with local officials and residents in hard-hit Humphreys County. Hagerty delivered the following remarks:
“What we saw today was devastation at a level that is absolutely heartbreaking. What we’ve seen is the Tennessee spirit at the same time. We’ve seen people that have lost family members, people that don’t know where family members are, but we’ve seen Tennesseans come to aid. I was so touched to see first responders all over Tennessee there on the ground, doing everything they can to help address this problem. As Patrick [Sheehan, TEMA Director] mentioned, I think we as Tennesseans can do more by making contributions to reputable organizations and to churches who will be in a position to make a real difference. We toured an elementary school today—that school has been devastated. I couldn’t believe the amount of damage that occurred. These kids are going to need supplies, they’re going to need care, and they’re going to need your prayers. I’d like to say this: Senator Blackburn and I are going to do everything that we can to support Governor Lee, to make certain that the grants that are coming this way happen as quickly and as expeditiously as possible. We’ll be doing everything that we possibly can to make certain that Tennessee is taken care of. The news media has been very focused on what’s happening in other areas: Haiti, Afghanistan, and hurricanes coming to the Northeast. I think that we need to understand that the devastation here in Tennessee has been every bit as significant. We intend to put every amount of attention that we can to make certain that we take care of Tennessee’s needs.”
Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN) delivers remarks at floodwaters press briefing at TEMA HQ in Nashville