Texas lawmakers review catastrophic floods but say they aren’t out to assign blame
By NADIA LATHAN Associated Press AUSTIN Texas AP A review by Texas lawmakers into the catastrophic July floods has no intention of second-guessing decisions by local executives or assigning blame over the tragedy that killed at least people a top Republican leading the effort disclosed Wednesday Our select committee will not armchair quarterback Republican Sen Charles Perry mentioned and would instead seek to draw lessons on flood prevention and preparedness FILE Members of a search and rescue organization embrace as they visit a memorial wall for flood casualties Sunday July in Kerrville Texas AP Photo Eric Gay File Local personnel have faced scrutiny over why more warnings weren t sent to residents in harm s way along the Guadalupe River State and county emergency response bureaucrats are scheduled to testify but no agents from Kerr County the area majority hard-hit by the floods Perry the committee chair stated this would avoid pulling them away from their work In addition to those deadly floods in the Texas Hill Country the other major issue on the agenda for this summer s -day special session is a partisan redrawing of U S House maps which aims to give Republicans more winnable seats in the elections The session is already off to a combative start Democrats want to address flood relief and new flood warning systems before taking votes on new congressional maps sought by President Donald Trump They have not ruled out a walkout in a bid to derail the redistricting which they have slammed as a partisan power grab FILE State troopers keep watch over the Rotunda at the Texas Capitol July in Austin AP Photo Eric Gay file The head of Texas crisis management department Nim Kidd certified Wednesday that the number of deaths was up from after Republican Gov Greg Abbott commented a missing woman s body had been exposed Two people remain missing a man and a girl from Camp Mystic according to Abbott At one point county functionaries mentioned more than people were unaccounted for but ultimately uncovered that the greater part were safe Twenty-seven campers and counselors preponderance of them children were killed at the all-girls Christian summer camp in Kerr County which does not have a warning system along the river after several missed opportunities by state and local agencies to finance one Lawmakers have filed bills to improve early warning systems and crisis communications and to provide relief funding Legislators are scheduled to visit Kerrville on July to hear from residents Related Articles children taken to hospitals after seizure-like signs at Harvard Square church concert Venezuela s returning immigrants allege abuses in El Salvador s hell prison where US sent them US home sales fade in June as prices soar to record levels US stocks tick toward another record following a US-Japan agreement deal Bryan Kohberger and his victim s families have a chance to speak at his sentencing Democrats have left open the possibility of filibusters or walking out in the coming weeks to block the proposed congressional map redraw On Monday majority of of the party s members in the House signed a letter to the speaker stating that they would not engage in any work before addressing flood relief But Democrats have scant paths to resistance as the minority party in both chambers Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton has threatened to arrest those who attempt to walk out on top of the daily fines lawmakers face for latest a quorum Lathan is a corps member for the Associated Press Account for America Statehouse News Initiative Assessment for America is a nonprofit national system plan that places journalists in local newsrooms to description on undercovered issues
