[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 937 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 937

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the emergency 
 communications services provided by the American Red Cross are vital 
       resources for military service members and their families.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 23, 2008

 Mr. Burgess submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
                    the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the emergency 
 communications services provided by the American Red Cross are vital 
       resources for military service members and their families.

Whereas the emergency communications services provided by the American Red Cross 
        are free for military families experiencing a crisis;
Whereas the Red Cross can provide notification of emergencies and other 
        important events to over 1,400,000 active duty personnel, and 1,200,000 
        members of the National Guard and Reserves, on behalf of their family 
        members;
Whereas in an emergency, the Red Cross reaches out to verify the emergency and 
        provides third-party objective information to commanding officers;
Whereas commanding officers rely upon the Red Cross to provide timely and 
        accurate information 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and 
        such notification is vital to the commander's decision whether to 
        release a service member from duty in order to join with his or her 
        family in a time of hardship;
Whereas whether that service member is a reservist in 2 weeks of Arctic training 
        in Alaska, a sailor on a ship in the Indian Ocean, or a member of an 
        advanced team on patrol in Iraq, the Red Cross messaging system can 
        communicate messages between family members when and where other 
        civilian services cannot;
Whereas whether it is a birth or death notification, the Red Cross bears the 
        emotional mission to deliver accurate and timely messages between family 
        members;
Whereas the Red Cross ensures the delivery of the message and provides the 
        family with the needed support until the service member returns home;
Whereas the Red Cross provides services through 756 chapters in the United 
        States and on 58 military installations around the world to United 
        States Armed Forces personnel, including our troops in Kuwait, 
        Afghanistan, and Iraq; and
Whereas when all other communication fails, the Red Cross is there: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that 
the emergency communications services provided by the American Red 
Cross are vital for providing communication between military service 
members and their families during emergencies or other important 
events.
                                 <all>