[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 160 (Saturday, September 30, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Page S4893]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SENATE RESOLUTION 392--RECOGNIZING AND HONORING THE FIRST RESPONDERS 
  AND THOSE WHO LOST THEIR LIVES IN THE MAUI WILDFIRES IN AUGUST 2023 
                   THAT AFFECTED THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE

  Ms. HIRONO (for herself and Mr. Schatz) submitted the following 
resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 392

       Whereas, on August 8, 2023, a series of wildfires, fueled 
     by abnormally strong winds from Hurricane Dora and a high-
     pressure system in the North Pacific Ocean, broke out on the 
     Island of Maui;
       Whereas almost 7,000 acres of land in the Lahaina area in 
     West Maui and the Olinda, Kula, and Pulehu-Kihei areas of 
     Upcountry Maui burned as a result of the wildfires;
       Whereas, as of August 2023, the wildfire that occurred in 
     the historic town of Lahaina in West Maui is the deadliest 
     wildfire to have occurred in the United States in more than a 
     century and 1 of the worst natural disasters in the history 
     of Hawaii;
       Whereas, as of September 15, 2023, 97 fatalities from the 
     wildfires have been confirmed, and as of September 22, 2023, 
     22 people remain officially unaccounted for;
       Whereas more than 7,000 people have been displaced by the 
     wildfires;
       Whereas approximately 2,200 structures have been damaged or 
     destroyed by the wildfires;
       Whereas more than 1,900 homes burned down by the wildfires;
       Whereas brave people raced into the wildfires to save their 
     community while their own homes burned to the ground;
       Whereas nearly 1,000 businesses were destroyed by the 
     wildfires;
       Whereas 4 schools were impacted by the wildfires, 1 of 
     which, King Kamehameha III Elementary School, was damaged 
     beyond repair, displacing hundreds of staff members and 
     thousands of students;
       Whereas it is estimated that billions of dollars will be 
     necessary to repair the damaged areas in West Maui;
       Whereas Lahaina was the one-time capital of the Kingdom of 
     Hawaii and still has great cultural and historical 
     significance, particularly to the Native Hawaiian community;
       Whereas additional Federal, State, and local emergency 
     personnel, including law enforcement and medical personnel, 
     coordinated with local authorities and have performed beyond 
     the call of duty in the preservation and protection of human 
     lives;
       Whereas hundreds of volunteers gave their time to help 
     ensure that evacuees were sheltered, clothed, fed, and 
     emotionally comforted through the traumatic event; and
       Whereas people across the United States and around the 
     world responded with an outpouring of support for the people 
     of Maui: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) honors the people who lost their lives in the deadly 
     wildfires on Maui;
       (2) recognizes the efforts and sacrifices of the first 
     responders who risked their lives to respond to the 
     wildfires;
       (3) honors the bravery and heroism of the people who have 
     provided assistance and continue to respond to the wildfires;
       (4) expresses full support for the communities of West and 
     Upcountry Maui, as those communities focus on recovering and 
     rebuilding areas and communities affected by wildfires;
       (5) urges the people and communities of Hawaii and the 
     United States to act diligently in preventing and preparing 
     for wildfires; and
       (6) encourages the people of the United States to keep in 
     their thoughts the individuals who have suffered as a result 
     of the wildfires.

                          ____________________