III 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 17 

Recognizing and honoring Captain Chesley ‘‘Sully’’ Sullenberger III, his copilot Jeffrey Skiles, the crewmembers of U.S. Airways Flight 1549, 

and the first responders, ferry operators and tug boat drivers of New 

York City, for their heroic and intuitive roles in the safe emergency 

landing of U.S. Airways Flight 1549. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JANUARY 16, 2009 

Mr. SCHUMER (for himself, Mrs. CLINTON, Mrs. BOXER, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, 

Mrs. HAGAN, Mr. BURR, Mr. KOHL, and Mr. FEINGOLD) submitted the 

following resolution; which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing and honoring Captain Chesley ‘‘Sully’’ 

Sullenberger III, his co-pilot Jeffrey Skiles, the crewmembers of U.S. Airways Flight 1549, and the first 

responders, ferry operators and tug boat drivers of New 

York City, for their heroic and intuitive roles in the 

safe emergency landing of U.S. Airways Flight 1549. 

Whereas Chesley Sullenberger III is a native of Danville, 

California; 

Whereas Chesley Sullenberger III has a bachelor of science 

degree from the United States Air Force Academy, a 

master of science degree from Purdue University, and a 


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•SRES 17 ATS 

master of the arts degree from the University of Northern Colorado; 

Whereas Chesley Sullenberger III has been named a Visiting 

Scholar at the University of California, Berkeley; 

Whereas Chesley Sullenberger III bravely served his country 

as a United States Air Force fighter pilot; 

Whereas Chesley Sullenberger III has committed his career 

to aviation safety by serving as an instructor, safety 

chairman, accident investigator, and national technical 

committee member of the Air Line Pilots Association; 

Whereas Chesley Sullenberger III has played an active role 

in numerous accident investigations by the United States 

Air Force and the National Transportation Safety Board; 

Whereas Chesley Sullenberger III has played an important 

role in the development and implementation of the Crew 

Resource Management course used at U.S. Airways, and 

has educated hundreds of his colleagues in the course; 

Whereas Chesley Sullenberger III is a veteran pilot who has 

flown for more than 40 years; 

Whereas Jeffrey Skiles is a native of Oregon, Wisconsin; 

Whereas Jeffrey Skiles has been flying planes since he was 

15 years old; 

Whereas Jeffrey Skiles has been an employee of U.S. Airways 

for 25 years; 

Whereas, on January 15, 2009, Chesley Sullenberger III and 

his co-pilot Jeffrey Skiles averted a devastating disaster 

by safely and masterfully landing U.S. Airways Flight 

1549 on the Hudson River in New York, New York; 


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•SRES 17 ATS 

Whereas Chesley Sullenberger III did not deplane his aircraft 

until all 150 passengers and 4 other crewmembers were 

safely evacuated; 

Whereas the crewmembers of U.S. Airways Flight 1549 and 

the first responders, ferry operators, and tugboat drivers 

of New York City played critical roles in ensuring that 

the passengers and crewmembers on the airplane were 

expeditiously taken to safety, and that there were no fatalities in the accident; 

Whereas Chesley Sullenberger III, Jeffrey Skiles, U.S. Airways Flight 1549 crewmembers, and the first responders, 

ferry operators, and tugboat drivers of New York City 

are true American heroes and are deserving of the praise 

and gratitude of the Nation: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate recognizes and honors 

2 Chesley Sullenberger III, Jeffrey Skiles, the crewmembers 

3 and passengers of U.S. Airways Flight 1549, and the first 

4 responders, ferry operators, and tugboat drivers of New 

5 York City for their heroic efforts in the safe emergency 

6 landing of U.S. Airways Flight 1549, which saved 155 

7 lives. 

Æ 


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