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State Representative Ryan Winkler
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-7026
For more information contact: Matt Swenson 651-297-8406
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BRIDGE VICTIMS PRESENT EMOTIONAL TESTIMONY BEFORE HOUSE COMMITTEE
MINNEAPOLIS, MN At the Twin Cities Red Cross Headquarters today, just upriver from where the I35W Bridge collapsed on August 1st of this year killing 13 people, survivors of the tragedy testified before the House State Government Finance Committee. Many face large and mounting medical bills, debilitating injuries, and severe emotional trauma. Some have lost family members and friends, while others have lost the ability to walk, work, and proceed with life as it was before the bridge fell.
Rep. Ryan Winkler (DFL Golden Valley & St. Louis Park) introduced legislation at the hearing today that would establish a Minnesota Disaster Survivors Compensation Fund. Winkler's proposed fund would help survivors move forward with the long and ongoing process of recovering from this terrible tragedy.
"The state has an inherent responsibility to secure public safety and provide an adequate public transportation system for its citizens," said Winkler. "The state was responsible for maintaining that bridge's structural integrity and ensuring its safety for the public. The state failed, and innocent people are suffering the consequences."
Rep. Winkler plans to introduce this legislation when session reconvenes. Until then, Winkler and his fellow legislators will continue partnering with bridge survivors and their families to develop a thorough and comprehensive understanding of their needs so that the Legislature can hit the ground running with this plan as soon as lawmakers return to the Capitol on February 12, 2008.
Rep. Phyllis Kahn (DFL Minneapolis), who chairs the State Government Finance Committee, is partnering closely with Rep. Winkler in his efforts to adequately compensate victims for their losses, and help them move forward in the months and years to come. At the hearing today, Rep. Kahn expressed her deep concerns for those who are suffering from the immense grief and loss caused by the bridge collapse. The Minneapolis legislative district she has represented for almost three decades is directly contiguous to the site of the I35W Bridge collapse and many of her constituents have been directly affected by this ongoing tragedy.
"A Minnesota Disaster Survivors Compensation Fund would cost just a fraction of what will need to be spent to rebuild the I35W Bridge," said Kahn. "As a state we are responsible for more than just rebuilding a bridge. We also own the responsibility to rebuild the lives of these innocent victims. There is a human cost in this disaster that cannot be ignored. We will stand by these victims until they receive the help they need to move forward."
Survivors who testified presented emotional testimony, recounting the events that transpired on August 1st, along with what they have been dealing with in the months since. Some expressed frustration that nothing has been done yet by the state to address their ongoing financial struggles. All were thankful for the efforts of Reps. Winkler, Kahn, and the House State Government Finance Committee.
"We're going to keep working on this," said Winkler. "We're going to continue our efforts to investigate why this happened, what can be done to prevent this from happening again in Minnesota, and adequately compensate these survivors for all they have lost."
Winkler continued, "This is a tragedy. There's no other way to describe it. We need to do the right thing here so that these Minnesotans can heal, and our state can fully recover."
Rep. Kahn indicated that additional hearings of the House State Government Finance Committee will be held on this issue throughout the remainder of the interim.
News Items
- Statement on Budget Forecast - (Posted: 2012-12-05 00:00:00)
- Statement on Final I-35 W Bridge Settlement - (Posted: 2012-11-13 00:00:00)
- Rep. Winkler: Tea Party Activists Cant Be Trusted to Reform Our Elections - (Posted: 2012-11-01 00:00:00)
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