[House Report 110-856]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
110th Congress Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
2d Session 110-856
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COMMEMORATING THE 80TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE OKEECHOBEE HURRICANE OF
SEPTEMBER 1928 AND ITS ASSOCIATED TRAGIC LOSS OF LIFE
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September 16, 2008.--Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be
printed
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Mr. Oberstar, from the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H. Res. 1376]
The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, to whom
was referred the resolution (H. Res. 1376) commemorating the
80th anniversary of the Okeechobee Hurricane of September 1928
and its associated tragic loss of life, having considered the
same, report favorably thereon with amendments and recommend
that the resolution as amended be agreed to.
The amendments are as follows:
Strike all after the resolving clause and insert the
following:
That the House of Representatives--
(1) memorializes the tragic loss of approximately 3,000 lives
in the United States and its territories due to the Okeechobee
Hurricane of 1928;
(2) recognizes the enduring importance of hurricane
preparedness measures, enhanced evacuation, emergency plans,
and disaster response training especially in economically
disadvantaged communities to prevent a disproportionate impact
of natural disasters and disparities in disaster response;
(3) recognizes the role of relevant Federal agencies,
research institutes, universities, and disaster response
organizations in providing intensity forecasting, long-range
projections of hurricane activity, emergency management, and
hurricane and storm damage reduction to better prepare for,
respond to, and mitigate the extensive loss of life and
devastating impacts of hurricanes and storms;
(4) fully supports initiatives to enhance our understanding
of storm impacts on physical structures, including water
management systems and other infrastructure that may be
vulnerable to the most intense of storms;
(5) urges the State of Florida and local governments to--
(A) commemorate and memorialize the 80th anniversary
of the Okeechobee Hurricane of 1928 and its associated
tragic loss of approximately 3,000 lives in the United
States and its territories; and
(B) appropriately recognize mass graves of the
victims of the Okeechobee Hurricane;
(6) urges the Federal government, and State and local
governments, to--
(A) take appropriate actions to encourage hurricane
and disaster preparedness, education, response, and
mitigation; and
(B) support programs and initiatives that promote
disaster preparedness, education, response, and
mitigation especially in economically disadvantaged and
migrant communities;
(7) commends the Army Corps of Engineers for its ongoing
rehabilitation of the Herbert Hoover Dike and encourages
continued collaboration among Federal, State, and local
governments toward expeditious completion of the rehabilitation
effort; and
(8) recommits itself to hurricane preparedness, safety
education, response, and mitigation for all communities in the
110th Congress.
Amend the preamble to read as follows:
Whereas the Okeechobee Hurricane, also known as Hurricane San Felipe
Segundo, formed in the Atlantic Ocean, traveled through the Caribbean Sea,
and up the eastern coast of the United States between September 10 and
September 20, 1928;
Whereas on September 16, 1928, the Okeechobee Hurricane made landfall in
the continental United States at Palm Beach County, Florida, and proceeded
north over Lake Okeechobee, after which it decreased steadily in intensity
before dying in Ontario, Canada;
Whereas the Okeechobee Hurricane attained the highest classification of
Category 5 for tropical cyclone intensity on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane
Scale, with winds exceeding 160 miles per hour;
Whereas the Okeechobee Hurricane is officially recognized by the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration as the second deadliest hurricane on
record in United States history, exacting the tragic loss of approximately
3,000 lives in the United States and its territories;
Whereas approximately 75 percent of fatalities from the Okeechobee
Hurricane in the United States were migrant farm workers, the vast majority
of which were African-American;
Whereas the extensive impact of the Okeechobee Hurricane on African-
American migrant workers in southern and central Florida was memorialized
in the famous 1937 literary work of Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were
Watching God;
Whereas the Okeechobee Hurricane exacted horrendous damage valued at over
$16,000,000,000, adjusted for inflation, to the infrastructure and towns of
western Palm Beach County alone;
Whereas many of those killed by the Okeechobee Hurricane in southern
Florida were buried in segregated mass graves, such as the more than 670
African-American victims in a mass grave in West Palm Beach;
Whereas the Nation and the State of Florida have taken steps to respond to
the Okeechobee Hurricane and other storm events with the construction of
storm damage reduction projects to mitigate the loss of life and property;
Whereas the Herbert Hoover Dike's system surrounding Lake Okeechobee
consists of 143 miles of levee with 19 culverts, hurricane gates, and other
water control structures that provide flood and storm damage reduction and
other water control benefits;
Whereas on November 2, 2007, the Army Corps of Engineers Dam Safety Action
Classification External Peer Review Panel designated the Herbert Hoover
Dike with Class I designation of ``urgent and compelling,'' the highest
risk category;
Whereas a breach of the Herbert Hoover Dike or similarly designated
structures throughout the Nation could potentially cause catastrophic loss
of life and poses grave economic and environmental consequences to the
surrounding communities; and
Whereas economically disadvantaged and migrant communities are at increased
risk for extensive damage and loss of life associated with natural
disasters: Now, therefore, be it
PURPOSE OF THE LEGISLATION
House Resolution 1376, as amended, commemorates the 80th
anniversary of the Okeechobee Hurricane of 1928, recognizes the
tragic loss of life which resulted from the hurricane, and
urges the Federal Government and State and local governments to
take appropriate actions to encourage hurricane and disaster
preparedness, education, response, and mitigation.
BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION
The Okeechobee Hurricane, also known as the Hurricane San
Felipe Segundo, traveled across the Atlantic Ocean from
September 10-20, 1928, making landfall in the United States in
Palm Beach County, Florida, on September 16, 1928. The
Okeechobee Hurricane is the second deadliest hurricane in
history, killing more than 4,000 people in the United States
and the Caribbean.
Many people who died in the Okeechobee Hurricane died as a
result of the storm's effect on Lake Okeechobee overwhelming
the small dike that surrounded the lake and flooding hundreds
of acres. After the hurricane, a series of larger dikes were
built around the lake. The Herbert Hoover Dike was the
culmination of large dike construction around Lake Okeechobee
and was completed in the 1960s. The Herbert Hoover Dike has
fallen into disrepair and is now being rehabilitated.
SUMMARY OF THE LEGISLATION
House Resolution 1376, as amended, commemorates the 80th
anniversary of the Okeechobee Hurricane of 1928, recognizes the
tragic loss of life which resulted from the hurricane, and
urges the Federal Government and State and local governments to
take appropriate actions to encourage hurricane and disaster
preparedness, education, response, and mitigation.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY AND COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION
On July 24, 2008, Representative Alcee L. Hastings
introduced H. Res. 1376.
On July 31, 2008, the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure met in open session to consider H. Res. 1376.
The Committee adopted an amendment in the nature of a
substitute to H. Res. 1376 by voice vote. The Committee ordered
H. Res. 1376, as amended, reported favorably to the House by
voice vote with a quorum present.
RECORD VOTES
Clause 3(b) of rule XIII of the House of Representatives
requires each committee report to include the total number of
votes cast for and against on each recorded vote on a motion to
report and on any amendment offered to the measure or matter,
and the names of those members voting for and against. There
were no recorded votes taken in connection with consideration
of H. Res. 1376 or ordering the resolution reported. A motion
to order House Resolution 1376, as amended, reported favorably
to the House was agreed to by voice vote with a quorum present.
COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS
With respect to the requirements of clause 3(c)(1) of rule
XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the
Committee's oversight findings and recommendations are
reflected in this report.
COST OF LEGISLATION
With respect to the requirements of clause 3(d)(2) of rule
XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, H. Res. 1376
is a House resolution and therefore does not have the force of
law. As such, there is no cost associated with this legislation
for fiscal year 2008, or for any fiscal year thereafter.
COMPLIANCE WITH HOUSE RULE XIII
1. With respect to the requirement of clause 3(c)(2) of
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, and
308(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee
advises that the resolution contains no measure that authorizes
funding, so no comparison of the total estimated funding level
for the relevant programs to the appropriate levels under
current law is required.
2. With respect to the requirement of clause 3(c)(4) of
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the
Committee advises that the resolution contains no measure that
authorizes funding, so no statement of general performance
goals and objectives for any measure that authorizes funding is
required.
3. With respect to the requirement of clause 3(c)(3) of
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and
section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the
Committee advises that the resolution contains no measure that
authorizes funding, so no cost estimate nor comparison for any
measure that authorizes funding is required.
COMPLIANCE WITH HOUSE RULE XXI
Pursuant to clause 9 of rule XXI of the Rules of the House
of Representatives, H. Res. 1376 does not contain any
congressional earmarks, limited tax benefits, or limited tariff
benefits as defined in clause 9(d), 9(e), or 9(f) of rule XXI
of the Rules of the House of Representatives.
CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY STATEMENT
With respect to clause (3)(d)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules
of the House of Representatives, H. Res. 1376 is a resolution
of the House of Representatives and therefore does not have the
force of law. As such, clause 3(d)(1) of rule XIII does not
apply.
FEDERAL MANDATES STATEMENT
H. Res. 1376 contains no federal mandates.
PREEMPTION CLARIFICATION
Section 423 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974
requires the report of any Committee on a bill or joint
resolution to include a statement on the extent to which the
bill or joint resolution is intended to preempt State, local,
or tribal law. The Committee states that H. Res. 1376 does not
preempt any State, local, or tribal law.
ADVISORY COMMITTEE STATEMENT
No advisory committees within the meaning of section 5(b)
of the Federal Advisory Committee Act are created by this
legislation.
APPLICABILITY TO THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
The Committee finds that the legislation does not relate to
the terms and conditions of employment or access to public
services or accommodations within the meaning of section
102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act (Public Law
104-1).
CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW MADE BY THE BILL, AS REPORTED
H. Res. 1376 makes no changes in existing law.