Washington, Jan 23 - Today on the House floor Rep. Bruce Braley (D-Iowa) honored Maquoketa residents and firefighters for their efforts battling a severe fire that destroyed part of the city’s historic downtown on Saturday.

Here is the link to video of Rep. Braley’s delivering the remarks this morning.

 Below are Braley’s remarks as prepared:

 “Madame Speaker, I rise today to salute the people of Maquoketa, Iowa, for their extraordinary sense of civic duty during the course of a severe fire that destroyed a sizable part of the city’s historic downtown early Saturday morning.  I also want to recognize the efforts of firefighters from Maquoketa and 27 surrounding communities to extinguish the blaze and keep it from consuming other downtown buildings. 

 “The fire was a blow to Maquoketa’s vibrant downtown, completely destroying five buildings and causing severe damage to several businesses and homes.

 “While the fire left behind physical and emotional scars, it also demonstrated what makes Iowa such a great place.  Firefighters battled tirelessly through the sub-zero temperatures and wind chills of 20 below to get the blaze under control.  Meanwhile, hundreds of Maquoketa residents opened their homes and businesses to provide warm shelter, hot food, and emotional support for the firefighters and residents impacted by the fire. 

 “Perhaps young Maquoketa resident Kalli Muhlhausen said it best: ‘They have our hearts, and we have their backs.’

 “Iowans dismiss such an outpouring of generosity as simply ‘the right thing to do,’ but the residents of Maquoketa deserve a special thank you.  You’ve set an example for all of us to follow when the going gets tough.”