On the 20th Anniversary of the Loma Prieta Earthquake

The people of San Francisco will never forget that fateful day 20 years ago when the earth shook and our City trembled. We remember images of devastation and destruction; the delayed start to Game 3 of the World Series between two Bay Area teams; the struggle to recover. Yet -- in the aftermath of the Loma Prieta earthquake -- the spirit of our City grew stronger than ever.

Two decades ago, San Francisco rose to the challenge posed by this disaster. Today, we are still taking the lessons of that day to heart, preparing for any emergency that comes our way, improving our emergency response capabilities, and giving our first responders the tools they need in case of another disaster. As a relatively new member of Congress in 1989, I learned quickly about working to get FEMA and SBA to provide adequate funding to repair and rebuild, a lesson that has informed my efforts to secure assistance for disaster-stricken areas throughout my tenure as Speaker.

As we remember those we lost and their families, let us also mark this anniversary with a renewed commitment to our City's safety and to effective disaster preparedness and response nationwide.