[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 102 (Wednesday, September 6, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Page S8126]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              GALVESTON HURRICANE NATIONAL REMEMBRANCE DAY

  Mr. BOND. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now 
proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Con. Res. 134, submitted 
earlier today by Senators Hutchison and Gramm.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the concurrent 
resolution by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 134) designating 
     September 8, 2000, as Galveston Hurricane National 
     Remembrance Day.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
concurrent resolution.
  Mr. BOND. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the concurrent 
resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motion to 
reconsider be laid upon the table, and any statements relating to this 
concurrent resolution be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 134) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                            S. Con. Res. 134

       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.

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