‘We’re Staying’: Biden Vows, Literally, to Build Back Better Flood-Ravaged Kentucky, Says This is an ‘American Problem’
President Joe Biden visited flood-ravaged areas of Kentucky on Monday, where he gave an address to residents telling them that the federal government will do all that it can to bring relief to this “American problem.”
At least, 37 people have died since last month’s intense flooding in Kentucky, which saw massive amounts of rain within 48 hours. Hundreds of rescue efforts took place by boat and air, with first responders searching for missing residents in the wreckage.
As Biden addressed some of the residents of the impacted community, he reflected on his opportunity to meet some of the families.
“You see what has happened to their properties, their trailer, everything that they had,” the President said as he motioned to the wreckage behind him.
Biden continued, “Now they have come together. No complaining. Just getting up.”
The President then noted a conversation he had with a man whose home was destroyed by the flood. “He said, ‘well you know, we Kentuckians don’t want to ask for too much.'”
Biden said that the man didn’t realize that the federal government had the capability to aid in a natural disaster of this nature, to which he replied, “you’re kidding me.”
“They’re not just Kentuckians, they’re Americans,” added Biden, “This happened in America,” and it is an “American problem,” he insisted.
The President argued that the ability to aid those impacted by the devastating floods is within reach:
And we’re all Americans, everyone has an obligation to help. We have the capacity to do this. It’s not like it is beyond our control. The weather may be beyond our control for now. But it’s not beyond our control. And I promise you we’re staying, the federal government along with the state, county, and the city. We’re staying until everybody is back to where they were. Not a joke.
“We’re going to come back better than before,” said Biden, “I really mean it. That’s the objective I have. Not come back to what we were before.”
Biden added that “we have the wherewithal to do it, with the legislation that’s been bipartisanly passed.”
The President concluded with some inspirational words, “We never bow. We never bend. We just go forward, and that’s what we’re going to do here,” joking, “the bad news for you is I’m coming back because I want to see it.”
Watch above via CNN
