[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Con. Res. 149 Engrossed in Senate (ES)]
2d Session
S. CON. RES. 149
_______________________________________________________________________
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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 4 hurricanes, Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne, recently hit the State
of Florida, an event which has not occurred since 4 hurricanes struck
Texas in 1886;
Whereas Hurricane Jeanne was the fourth hurricane in 6 weeks 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, Ivan, and Jeanne;
Whereas the employees of the National Hurricane Center conducted approximately
1,128 live television and radio interviews as well as 1,480 telephone
briefings to the media and others during Hurricane Frances;
Whereas the forecasts and information from the National Hurricane Center
provided notice for the evacuation of millions of residents in the line
of Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne and warnings to the
residents of Florida, Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana;
Whereas the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research's Hurricane Research
Division at the Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory in
Miami, Florida conducts the research needed to improve hurricane
forecasts and went on flights in and around hurricanes to gather and
improve data that goes into the National Hurricane Center's forecasts,
watches, and warnings to protect lives and property;
Whereas the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research's Geophysical Fluid
Dynamics Laboratory in Princeton, New Jersey developed, carefully
monitors, and continues to improve the National Weather Service's
operational hurricane model used to determine where the storms are
likely to go;
Whereas the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Marine and
Aviation Operation's Hurricane Hunters logged over 300 hours of
operational hours of flight time through and above the storms to assist
the National Hurricane Center in tracking Hurricanes Charley, Frances,
Ivan, and Jeanne;
Whereas the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron of the 403rd Wing of the Air
Force Reserve Command at Keesler Air Force Base, Biloxi, Mississippi,
logged 739 hours of flight time through and around the storms to assist
the National Hurricane Center in tracking Hurricanes Charley, Frances,
Ivan, and Jeanne;
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, Ivan, and Jeanne;
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, Ivan, and Jeanne;
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, Eastern, and Central 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, and Taunton provided
up-to-the-minute local details for residents throughout Hurricanes
Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne;
Whereas employees from other offices within the Southern Region provided
additional support to key Weather Forecast Offices directly impacted by
Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne;
Whereas more than 7,000 watches, warnings, advisories, and other statements were
issued by key local Weather Forecast Offices during Hurricanes Charley,
Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne;
Whereas the Southeast River Forecast Center provided critical river flooding
forecast information to Federal, State, and private partners during
Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne and accurately predicted
the amount of excessive rainfall over the Southeastern United States
several days in advance; and
Whereas the hurricane season continues through November, and all these employees
continue tracking new tropical depressions approaching the United States
coast: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 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 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Aircraft Operations Center at MacDill Air Force Base, Tampa,
Florida; the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron of the 403rd
Wing of the Air Force Reserve Command at Keesler Air Force
Base, Biloxi, Mississippi; 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,
Ivan, and Jeanne;
(2) commends the Southern, Eastern, and Central 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, Ivan, and Jeanne;
(3) commends the employees of the Office of Oceanic and
Atmospheric Research, especially the Hurricane Research
Division;
(4) thanks the commercial and media meteorologists for
their contributions in disseminating the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration forecasts and warnings to the
public; and
(5) expresses its support for the ongoing hard work and
dedication of all who provide accurate and timely hurricane
forecasts.
Passed the Senate November 18, 2004.
Attest:
Secretary.
108th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. CON. RES. 149
_______________________________________________________________________
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Commending the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and its
employees for its dedication and hard work during Hurricanes Charley,
Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne.