[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 488 Referred in Senate (RFS)]
2d Session
H. CON. RES. 488
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
September 23, 2004
Received and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation
_______________________________________________________________________
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Commending the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and its
employees for its dedication and hard work during Hurricanes Charley,
Frances, and Ivan.
Whereas the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Weather
Service consistently provides critical forecasts and warnings about
severe weather to the Nation's citizens;
Whereas 2 hurricanes, Charley and Frances, recently hit the State of Florida
back-to-back, an event which has not occurred since 1964;
Whereas Hurricane Ivan was the third hurricane in a month to hit the United
States mainland;
Whereas the employees of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Tropical Prediction Center/National Hurricane Center and the employees
of key Southern Region Weather Forecast Offices worked tirelessly and
under great pressure to provide the most up to date information to the
public, the media, and emergency management officials during Hurricanes
Charley, Frances, and Ivan;
Whereas the employees of the National Hurricane Center conducted 656 live
television interviews as well as 1227 telephone briefings to the media
and others during Hurricanes Frances and Ivan;
Whereas the forecasts and information from the National Hurricane Center
provided notice for the safe evacuation of more than 6,000,000 residents
in the line of Hurricanes Charley, Frances, and Ivan and warnings to the
residents of Florida, Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana;
Whereas the Hurricane Liaison Team, a joint National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration and Federal Emergency Management Agency partnership,
provided support to the 25 different media outlets operating out of the
National Hurricane Center;
Whereas the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's
Hydrometeorological Prediction Center provided rainfall forecasts and
hurricane track guidance to the National Hurricane Center;
Whereas the National Weather Service's National Data Buoy Center, in partnership
with the United States Coast Guard, worked expediently after Hurricane
Charley to fix data buoys that proved critical for forecasts of
Hurricane Frances and Ivan;
Whereas the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Ocean
Service provided storm surge predictions and hydrographic information
support to Federal partners before, during, and after Hurricanes
Charley, Frances, and Ivan;
Whereas the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National
Environmental Satellite Data and Information Service provided images of
Hurricane Frances every 5 minutes over a 4-day period, an unprecedented
number of images for hurricane tracking;
Whereas the Southern and Eastern Region Weather Forecast Offices of San Juan,
Miami, Tampa Bay, Key West, Melbourne, Jacksonville, Tallahassee,
Atlanta, Birmingham, Huntsville, Mobile, Morristown, Charleston,
Morehead City, Wilmington, Wakefield, Taunton, Lake Charles, New
Orleans, Jackson, Nashville, and Houston provided up-to-the-minute local
details for residents throughout Hurricanes Charley, Frances, and Ivan;
Whereas employees from other offices within the Southern Region provided
additional support to key Weather Forecast Offices directly impacted by
Hurricanes Charley, Frances, and Ivan;
Whereas more than 1,700 watches, warnings, advisories, and other statements were
issued by key local Weather Forecast Offices during Hurricanes Charley,
Frances, and Ivan;
Whereas the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Marine and
Aviation Operation's Hurricane Hunters logged 344 hours of flight time
through and above the storms to assist the National Hurricane Center in
tracking Hurricanes Charley, Frances, and Ivan;
Whereas the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron of the 403rd Wing of the Air
Force Reserve Command at Keesler Air Force Base, Biloxi, Mississippi,
logged 537 hours of flight time through and above the storms to assist
the National Hurricane Center in tracking Hurricanes Charley, Frances,
and Ivan;
Whereas the Southeast River Forecast Center provided critical river flooding
forecast information to Federal, State, and private partners during
Hurricanes Charley, Frances, and Ivan and accurately predicted the
amount of excessive rainfall over the Southeastern United States several
days in advance; and
Whereas it is still the first half of hurricane season and all these employees
remain engaged tracking tropical storms: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),
That the Congress--
(1) commends the employees of the National Weather Service,
especially the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Tropical Prediction Center/National Hurricane Center,
Hydrometeorological Prediction Center, and National Data Buoy
Center; the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron of the 403rd
Wing of the Air Force Reserve Command at Keesler Air Force
Base, Biloxi, Mississippi; the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration Aircraft Operations Center at MacDill Air Force
Base, Tampa, Florida; the Hurricane Liaison Team; the National
Ocean Service; and the National Environmental Satellite Data
and Information Service, for their extraordinary dedication and
hard work during Hurricanes Charley, Frances, and Ivan;
(2) commends the Southern and Eastern Region Weather
Forecast Offices of San Juan, Miami, Tampa Bay, Key West,
Melbourne, Jacksonville, Tallahassee, Atlanta, Birmingham,
Huntsville, Mobile, Morristown, Charleston, Morehead City,
Wilmington, Wakefield, Taunton, Lake Charles, New Orleans,
Jackson, Nashville, and Houston for their extraordinary
dedication and hard work during Hurricanes Charley, Frances,
and Ivan;
(3) thanks the commercial and media meteorologists for
their contributions in disseminating the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration forecasts and warnings to the
public; and
(4) expresses its support for the ongoing hard work and
dedication of all who provide accurate and timely hurricane
forecasts.
Passed the House of Representatives September 22, 2004.
Attest:
JEFF TRANDAHL,
Clerk.