[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 17]
[Senate]
[Page 22395]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   20TH ANNIVERSARY OF HURRICANE HUGO

  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
Senate now proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 282, which 
was submitted earlier today.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 282) remembering the 20th anniversary 
     of Hurricane Hugo, which struck Charleston, South Carolina on 
     September 21 through September 22, 1989.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed 
to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motions to reconsider be laid 
upon the table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 282) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 282

       Whereas September 21 through September 22, 2009, marks the 
     20th anniversary of Hurricane Hugo, one of the most 
     destructive storms in United States history, making landfall 
     in South Carolina;
       Whereas Hurricane Hugo, with a storm surge that rose as 
     high as 20 feet along the South Carolina coast, killed 57 
     people in the mainland United States and 29 people in the 
     United States Caribbean islands and left an estimated 65,000 
     people homeless;
       Whereas Hurricane Hugo resulted in 4 presidential disaster 
     declarations, for the United States Virgin Islands, Puerto 
     Rico, South Carolina, and North Carolina;
       Whereas Hurricane Hugo inflicted an estimated 
     $7,000,000,000 in total damages within the United States and 
     an additional $3,000,000,000 in damages to the United States 
     Virgin Islands;
       Whereas Hurricane Hugo set a record as the most expensive 
     hurricane to strike the United States up until that time;
       Whereas Hurricane Hugo underscored the critical value of 
     early evacuation, bold leadership, and personal and regional 
     preparation and planning;
       Whereas the people of South Carolina rose to meet Hurricane 
     Hugo, working tirelessly to prepare for the storm and to 
     assist their fellow citizens in its aftermath;
       Whereas Hurricane Hugo was a reminder of the kindness and 
     compassion of people, as help came from all parts of the 
     Nation to assist in the areas damaged by Hugo;
       Whereas the magnitude of the Hurricane Hugo disaster and 
     difficulties with the Federal response led to important 
     changes to the preparedness and response efforts of the 
     Federal Government with respect to hurricanes in the United 
     States; and
       Whereas September is National Preparation Month and the 
     President has emphasized the responsibility of all people of 
     the United States to take time to prepare for potential 
     emergencies by preparing an emergency supply kit and a family 
     emergency plan, and to educate themselves about potential 
     disasters: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved that the Senate
       (1) recognizes the historical significance of the 20th 
     anniversary of Hurricane Hugo; and
       (2) remembers the victims of Hurricane Hugo.

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