[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.