[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Con. Res. 149 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]







108th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. CON. RES. 149

Commending the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and its 
 employees for its dedication and hard work during Hurricanes Charley, 
                       Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           November 18, 2004

  Mr. Hollings (for himself, Mr. Nelson of Florida, Mr. Lott, and Mr. 
 Breaux) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and 
                               agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                         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.

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.
                                 <all>