[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Con. Res. 134 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]







106th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. CON. RES. 134

    Designating September 8, 2000, as Galveston Hurricane National 
                            Remembrance Day.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 6, 2000

  Mrs. Hutchinson (for herself and Mr. Gramm) submitted the following 
       concurrent resolution; which was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
    Designating September 8, 2000, as Galveston Hurricane National 
                            Remembrance Day.

Whereas September 8, 2000 marks the 100th anniversary of the hurricane that 
        struck Galveston, Texas on September 8, 1900, the deadliest natural 
        disaster in United States history;
Whereas an estimated 6,000 people died in a few hours in this thriving port of 
        37,000, dubbed the ``Wall Street of the West'' at the dawn of the 20th 
        century;
Whereas vast waves, surging flood waters, and powerful winds of more than 120 
        miles an hour overtook the town, in an era without radar, satellites, or 
        modern radio, making off-shore hurricanes difficult to track;
Whereas the residents of Galveston island showed much courage and sacrifice 
        during the tempest, exemplified by 10 nuns who lost their lives along 
        with the 90 children they were trying to save at St. Mary's Orphanage on 
        the beach;
Whereas Galveston never lost her resilient spirit, built a sturdy 17-foot sea 
        wall that staved off other fierce hurricanes, pumped in millions of tons 
        of sand from the Gulf of Mexico in order to raise the level of the city 
        and its buildings to a safer height, and became a beautiful and 
        prosperous town yet again;
Whereas the city of Galveston is this year holding a ceremony commemorating the 
        hurricane, launching educational efforts, and celebrating the rebirth of 
        Galveston after the storm; and
Whereas our Nation, which benefits from modern weather technology and the 
        lessons learned from the Galveston tragedy, should never cease to 
        improve hurricane forecasting and make life safer and more secure along 
        our coasts: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), 
That--
            (1) September 8, 2000 is designated as Galveston Hurricane 
        National Remembrance Day; and
            (2) the President is authorized and requested to issue a 
        proclamation in memory of the thousands of Galvestonians and 
        other Americans who lost their lives in the devastating 
        hurricane of 1900 and the survivors who rebuilt Galveston.
                                 <all>