Mourning the Loss of Life in the State of Texas

Floor Speech

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Mr. ROY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today mourning the loss of life in the State of Texas that touched profoundly everybody across this great country and so many people who are visiting this part of Texas.

Obviously, we have been struck by the loss of life, particularly for those young girls associated with Camp Mystic.

It has been grueling. It was a rough week.

There has been a lot of destruction, and a lot of beautiful parts of our State have been destroyed, but we will rebuild.

Here is the thing that I want to say. When people talk about destruction, what will not be destroyed is the spirit of the people of Texas; the spirit of the people that those camps represent; the spirit of the little girls who are already talking about wanting to go back; the spirit of the people associated with Dick Eastland, the camp director of Camp Mystic who gave his life trying to save those little girls; the spirit of Jane Ragsdale, who lost her life saving five little girls--her guitar was found down the Guadalupe River just yesterday; and the spirit of all the little girls who were riding in the bus as they left Camp Mystic, singing hymns and expressing their faith. They were looking at the destruction that they couldn't possibly comprehend as they left that camp, but they were still putting their faith in their Lord and their Savior.

If there is anything we can take out of this, it is that sense of community, that sense of pride that we have in knowing that we will rebuild and that we will come together, and that sense that we know the power of the cross that stands on the hills over the city of Kerrville, the power of the faith of the people of Texas, and the power of the faith of the people of this Nation who have responded. Millions of dollars have come into the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country, $30 million last week, and I think that number is rising.

I thank all the members here in this delegation. Most of them have reached out to me personally.

To my friends and colleagues in this delegation: It is not just Kerr County. It is the State of Texas. Many of my colleagues have been affected across the State, but I thank them for their prayers and their well-wishes.

Just know, Mr. Speaker, that their spirit endures. I cannot tell you how proud I am of the people of Texas, the people of Kerr County, Texas, and the first responders who are today back in the floodwaters, resuming the search for the missing. There are still over 100 missing in that part of our State.

Mr. Speaker, I ask for a moment of silence.

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Mr. ROY. Mr. Speaker, if I may, there are some little girls from Camp Mystic in the gallery, and I thank them for being here.

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