[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 42 (Thursday, March 21, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E362-E363]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               IN RECOGNITION OF AMERICAN RED CROSS MONTH

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EMANUEL CLEAVER

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 21, 2013

  Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of March as 
American Red Cross Month. For over 130 years the American Red

[[Page E363]]

Cross has been helping people in need. Now is an excellent time to 
recognize not only the Red Cross, but each member of the community who 
contributes to this great organization through volunteering, giving 
blood, taking life saving classes or providing financial support.
   The local Red Cross in Kansas City, Missouri, in my district, serves 
a population of more than 2.6 million people. Last year they 
financially assisted more than 1,000 families with local disasters such 
as home fires. The Kansas City Red Cross served the U.S. Military by 
providing 2,350 Services to the Armed Forces cases. More than 23,000 
attended Red Cross community presentations, most of them being on how 
to prepare for disasters. Within the region, 38,372 people took Red 
Cross courses. Most of those were for CPR and first aid.
   There are 70,000 disasters that the American Red Cross responds to 
each year in this country alone, ranging from home fires affecting one 
family to hurricanes affecting tens of thousands. This past year the 
Red Cross played a vital role in disaster relief during super storm 
Sandy, the Colorado Wildfires and Hurricane Isaac. It also released a 
series of free apps to aid in disaster preparedness, ranging from 
addressing tornado and hurricane threats to providing first aid advice 
and assistance in locating Red Cross Shelters.
   An average of 150,000 military families and veterans receive 
assistance from the Red Cross annually. Support for wounded soldiers, 
resiliency training, linking military families during an emergency and 
connecting families with local community resources are a few of the 
ways the Red Cross assists the U.S. Military and its veterans.
   Nearly 4 million people donate blood each year, providing more than 
40% of America's blood supply, making the American Red Cross the single 
largest supplier of blood in the U.S. It is also the nation's leader in 
providing health and safety classes such as CPR, First Aid and 
Lifeguard training that more than 9 million American's participate in. 
Such education is vital in preparing citizens to help others in an 
emergency.
   The American Red Cross provides a plethora of supportive programs 
for not only citizens of my district, and districts around this 
country, but also for people all over the world. International services 
provided by the Red Cross reach out to communities in over 80 
developing countries. More than one billion children have been 
vaccinated thanks to the Measles and Rubella Initiative that was 
launched in 2001. Countless families torn apart by war or disaster from 
as far back as World War II have been reunited through the 
International Committee of the Red Cross.
   Mr. Speaker, it is essential that this Congress pay tribute to the 
Red Cross and the millions of Americans who lend their efforts to its 
success. I urge my colleagues to stand with me in support of American 
Red Cross Month and honor all that this organization has done for our 
great country.

                          ____________________