[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 65 (Thursday, May 12, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2957-S2958]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE RESOLUTION 182--EXPRESSING THE CONDOLENCES OF THE UNITED STATES 
 TO THE VICTIMS OF THE DEVASTATING TORNADOES THAT TOUCHED DOWN IN THE 
  SOUTH IN APRIL 2011, COMMENDING THE RESILIENCY OF THE PEOPLE OF THE 
    AFFECTED STATES, INCLUDING THE PEOPLE OF THE STATES OF ALABAMA, 
  TENNESSEE, MISSISSIPPI, GEORGIA, VIRGINIA, AND NORTH CAROLINA, AND 
 COMMITTING TO STAND BY THE PEOPLE AFFECTED IN THE RELIEF AND RECOVERY 
                                EFFORTS

  Mr. SESSIONS (for himself, Mr. Shelby, Mr. Alexander, Mr. Corker, Mr. 
Cochran, Mr. Wicker, Mr. Chambliss, Mr. Isakson, Mr. Burr, and Mrs. 
Hagan) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and 
agreed to:

                              S. Res. 182

       Whereas during the month of April 2011, a historic series 
     of powerful storms and tornadoes tracked across the South;
       Whereas preliminary estimates of the National Oceanic and 
     Atmospheric Administration indicate that more than 600 
     tornadoes were produced by storms that occurred across the 
     United States in April 2011;
       Whereas preliminary estimates of the National Oceanic and 
     Atmospheric Administration indicate that 305 tornadoes were 
     produced by storms that occurred across the South during the 
     period of April 25 through 28, 2011;
       Whereas the previous record number of tornadoes occurring 
     during the month of April was 267 tornadoes, which was set in 
     April 1974, and the previous record number of tornadoes 
     during any month was 542 tornadoes, which was set in May 
     2003;
       Whereas the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
     estimates that there were at least 358 fatalities as a result 
     of the storms and tornadoes in April 2011;
       Whereas as of the date of approval of this resolution, the 
     number of fatalities resulting from the devastating storms 
     and tornadoes in the State of Alabama is approaching 250;
       Whereas there were 38 fatalities resulting from the 
     devastating storms and tornadoes in the State of Tennessee;
       Whereas tornadoes in the State of Mississippi resulted in 
     at least 35 fatalities, at least 163 injuries, and at least 
     2,500 damaged homes, of which approximately 1,000 were 
     severely damaged or destroyed;
       Whereas as of the date of approval of this resolution, the 
     total number of fatalities in the State of Georgia is at 
     least 15;
       Whereas tornadoes and massive storms in the Commonwealth of 
     Virginia resulted in at least 6 fatalities, destroyed more 
     than 160 homes, and caused damage to more than 800 homes and 
     businesses;
       Whereas a number of tornadoes touched down in the Virginia 
     counties of Gloucester, Goochland, Halifax, Middlesex, 
     Pulaski, Shenandoah, and Washington;
       Whereas in April 2011, devastating storms and at least 30 
     tornadoes resulted in 24 fatalities in the State of North 
     Carolina;
       Whereas the Tuscaloosa-Birmingham tornado of April 27, 
     2011, which caused at least 65 fatalities and more than 1,000 
     injuries, had a maximum width of 1.5 miles and a track length 
     of 80 miles;
       Whereas Smithville, Mississippi, a town of fewer than 900, 
     lost 15 of its citizens, as well as its post office, school, 
     city hall, most of its churches, and almost every home;
       Whereas an Enhanced Fujita category 5 (referred to in this 
     preamble as an ``EF5'') tornado is defined by the National 
     Weather Service of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
     Administration as the rarest and most severe type of tornado, 
     with sustained winds of greater than 200 miles per hour and 
     that results in total destruction of well-built, 
     structurally-sound buildings;
       Whereas 3 of the 5 EF5 rated tornadoes recorded in the 
     United states since 2000 occurred as part of the April 25 
     through 28, 2011 tornado outbreak in the States of 
     Mississippi and Alabama;
       Whereas the Washington County, Virginia tornado traveled 
     approximately 14 miles and had a maximum path width of 2 
     miles;
       Whereas the National Weather Service estimates that 40 
     tornadoes hit the State of Tennessee from April 27 through 
     28, 2011;
       Whereas the National Weather Service has confirmed that a 
     total of 15 tornadoes hit the State of Georgia throughout the 
     period of April 25 through 28, 2011, including a powerful EF4 
     tornado which devastated the city of Ringgold, Georgia;
       Whereas dozens of rural communities throughout the South, 
     including in the States of Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, 
     Tennessee, Virginia, and North Carolina, have been decimated 
     by the devastating storms and tornadoes of April 2011;
       Whereas more than 500 homes were damaged or destroyed in 
     the State of Tennessee as a result of the devastating storms 
     and tornadoes;
       Whereas the massive storms impacted cities and towns in the 
     State of Alabama, including Arab, Berry, Birmingham, Concord, 
     Eclectic, Forkland, Fultondale, Hackleburg, Phil Campbell, 
     Pleasant Grove, Rainsville, and Tuscaloosa;
       Whereas President Obama declared 10 counties in the State 
     of Tennessee to be in a state of major disaster and approved 
     the request made by Governor Haslam for Federal disaster 
     assistance;
       Whereas the tornado that swept from Monroe County, 
     Mississippi into Marion County, Alabama and destroyed 
     Smithville, Mississippi was--
       (1) the sixth deadliest tornado ever recorded in the State 
     of Mississippi;
       (2) the first EF5 tornado recorded in the State of 
     Mississippi since 1966; and
       (3) the first EF5 tornado recorded in the United States 
     since May 2008.

       Whereas the massive storms and tornadoes caused widespread 
     damage in the Georgian counties of Bartow, Catoosa, Cherokee, 
     Coweta, Dade, Floyd, Gordon, Greene, Habersham, Harris, 
     Heard, Lamar, Lumpkin, Meriwether, Monroe, Morgan, Newton, 
     Pickens, Polk, Rabun, Spalding, Troup, Upson, Walker, and 
     White;
       Whereas the massive storms and tornadoes caused widespread 
     damage in the North Carolina counties of Bertie, Bladen, 
     Craven, Cumberland, Currituck, Greene, Halifax, Harnett, 
     Hertford, Hoke, Johnston, Lee Onslow, Pitt, Robeson, Sampson, 
     Tyrell, Wake, and Wilson;
       Whereas the tornado that swept from Neshoba County, 
     Mississippi to Noxubee County, Mississippi was just the 
     second EF5 tornado recorded in the State of Mississippi since 
     1966;
       Whereas April 27, 2011, marks the third highest number of 
     tornado-related fatalities occurring in a single day since 
     March 18, 1925, when a series of tornadoes caused 747 
     fatalities across 7 States;
       Whereas as of the date of approval of this resolution, the 
     total number of fatalities resulting from the devastating 
     storms and tornadoes remains unknown;
       Whereas the suffering and distress of thousands of people 
     affected by the storms and tornadoes is ongoing, particularly 
     for those who lost loved ones, homes, and livelihoods;
       Whereas immediate humanitarian aid is critically needed in 
     many of the devastated regions;
       Whereas the local emergency responders, National Guard, and 
     many ordinary citizens of the affected regions have risked 
     their lives to save others;
       Whereas throughout the crisis, doctors, nurses, and medical 
     personnel in the affected regions worked expeditiously to 
     ensure that hospitals, medical centers, and triage units 
     provided needed care;
       Whereas many faith-based organizations and other volunteer 
     organizations and charities are supplying the victims of the 
     storms and tornadoes with food, water, and shelter;
       Whereas the Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, Georgia, 
     Virginia, and North Carolina Emergency Management Agencies, 
     the first responders in the affected communities, and 
     countless volunteers immediately came to the aid of those 
     affected by the storms;
       Whereas the Governor of Alabama, Robert Bentley, the 
     Governor of Tennessee, Bill Haslam, the Governor of 
     Mississippi, Haley Barbour, the Governor of Georgia, Nathan 
     Deal, the Governor of Virginia, Robert McDonnell, and the 
     Governor of North Carolina, Beverly Perdue, reacted swiftly 
     and with great leadership in the immediate aftermath of the 
     destructive storms and tornadoes;
       Whereas President Obama responded quickly and efficiently 
     to approve the requests made by Governors Bentley, Haslam, 
     Barbour, Deal, and Perdue for Federal disaster assistance;
       Whereas in response to the declaration by the President of 
     a major disaster, the Administrator of the Federal Emergency 
     Management Agency has made federal disaster assistance 
     available for the State of Alabama and elsewhere in the South 
     to assist in local recovery efforts; and
       Whereas thousands of volunteers and government employees 
     from across the United States have committed time and 
     resources to help with recovery efforts: Now, therefore, be 
     it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) expresses the heartfelt condolences of the Senate to 
     the families and friends of those who lost their lives, 
     homes, and livelihoods in the tragic storms and tornadoes of 
     April 2011;
       (2) commends the resiliency and courage of the people of 
     the affected States, including the people of the States of 
     Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, Georgia, Virginia, and North 
     Carolina;
       (3) extends the wishes of the Senate for a full recovery 
     for all those who were injured in the storms and tornadoes;
       (4) extends the thanks of the Senate to the forecasters, 
     first responders, firefighters, law

[[Page S2958]]

     enforcement personnel, volunteers, and medical personnel who 
     took quick action to provide warnings, aid, and comfort to 
     the victims of the storms and tornadoes;
       (5) commits to provide the necessary resources and to stand 
     by the people of the affected States, including the people of 
     the States of Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, Georgia, 
     Virginia, and North Carolina, in the relief, recovery, and 
     rebuilding efforts; and
       (6) stands with the people affected by the storms and 
     tornadoes, including the people of the States of Alabama, 
     Tennessee, Mississippi, Georgia, Virginia, and North 
     Carolina, as those people begin the healing process following 
     this terrible event.

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