III 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 182 

Expressing the condolences of the United States to the victims of the devastating tornadoes that touched down in the South in April 2011, commending the resiliency of the people of the affected States, including 

the people of the States of Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, Georgia, 

Virginia, and North Carolina, and committing to stand by the people 

affected in the relief and recovery efforts. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 12, 2011 

Mr. SESSIONS (for himself, Mr. SHELBY, Mr. ALEXANDER, Mr. CORKER, Mr. 

COCHRAN, Mr. WICKER, Mr. CHAMBLISS, Mr. ISAKSON, Mr. BURR, and 

Mrs. HAGAN) submitted the following resolution; which was considered 

and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the condolences of the United States to the victims of the devastating tornadoes that touched down 

in the South in April 2011, commending the resiliency 

of the people of the affected States, including the people 

of the States of Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, Georgia, Virginia, and North Carolina, and committing to 

stand by the people affected in the relief and recovery 

efforts. 

Whereas during the month of April 2011, a historic series of 

powerful storms and tornadoes tracked across the South; 

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Whereas preliminary estimates of the National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration indicate that more than 600 

tornadoes were produced by storms that occurred across 

the United States in April 2011; 

Whereas preliminary estimates of the National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration indicate that 305 tornadoes 

were produced by storms that occurred across the South 

during the period of April 25 through 28, 2011; 

Whereas the previous record number of tornadoes occurring 

during the month of April was 267 tornadoes, which was 

set in April 1974, and the previous record number of tornadoes during any month was 542 tornadoes, which was 

set in May 2003; 

Whereas the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration estimates that there were at least 358 fatalities as 

a result of the storms and tornadoes in April 2011; 

Whereas as of the date of approval of this resolution, the 

number of fatalities resulting from the devastating 

storms and tornadoes in the State of Alabama is approaching 250; 

Whereas there were 38 fatalities resulting from the devastating storms and tornadoes in the State of Tennessee; 

Whereas tornadoes in the State of Mississippi resulted in at 

least 35 fatalities, at least 163 injuries, and at least 

2,500 damaged homes, of which approximately 1,000 

were severely damaged or destroyed; 

Whereas as of the date of approval of this resolution, the 

total number of fatalities in the State of Georgia is at 

least 15; 

Whereas tornadoes and massive storms in the Commonwealth 

of Virginia resulted in at least 6 fatalities, destroyed 

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more than 160 homes, and caused damage to more than 

800 homes and businesses; 

Whereas a number of tornadoes touched down in the Virginia 

counties of Gloucester, Goochland, Halifax, Middlesex, 

Pulaski, Shenandoah, and Washington; 

Whereas in April 2011, devastating storms and at least 30 

tornadoes resulted in 24 fatalities in the State of North 

Carolina; 

Whereas the Tuscaloosa-Birmingham tornado of April 27, 

2011, which caused at least 65 fatalities and more than 

1,000 injuries, had a maximum width of 1.5 miles and 

a track length of 80 miles; 

Whereas Smithville, Mississippi, a town of fewer than 900, 

lost 15 of its citizens, as well as its post office, school, 

city hall, most of its churches, and almost every home; 

Whereas an Enhanced Fujita category 5 (referred to in this 

preamble as an ‘‘EF5’’) tornado is defined by the National Weather Service of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration as the rarest and most severe 

type of tornado, with sustained winds of greater than 200 

miles per hour and that results in total destruction of 

well-built, structurally-sound buildings; 

Whereas 3 of the 5 EF5 rated tornadoes recorded in the 

United states since 2000 occurred as part of the April 25 

through 28, 2011 tornado outbreak in the States of Mississippi and Alabama; 

Whereas the Washington County, Virginia tornado traveled 

approximately 14 miles and had a maximum path width 

of 2 miles; 

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Whereas the National Weather Service estimates that 40 tornadoes hit the State of Tennessee from April 27 through 

28, 2011; 

Whereas the National Weather Service has confirmed that a 

total of 15 tornadoes hit the State of Georgia throughout 

the period of April 25 through 28, 2011, including a 

powerful EF4 tornado which devastated the city of 

Ringgold, Georgia; 

Whereas dozens of rural communities throughout the South, 

including in the States of Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, 

Tennessee, Virginia, and North Carolina, have been decimated by the devastating storms and tornadoes of April 

2011; 

Whereas more than 500 homes were damaged or destroyed 

in the State of Tennessee as a result of the devastating 

storms and tornadoes; 

Whereas the massive storms impacted cities and towns in the 

State of Alabama, including Arab, Berry, Birmingham, 

Concord, Eclectic, Forkland, Fultondale, Hackleburg, 

Phil Campbell, Pleasant Grove, Rainsville, and Tuscaloosa; 

Whereas President Obama declared 10 counties in the State 

of Tennessee to be in a state of major disaster and approved the request made by Governor Haslam for Federal disaster assistance; 

Whereas the tornado that swept from Monroe County, Mississippi into Marion County, Alabama and destroyed 

Smithville, Mississippi was— 

(1) the sixth deadliest tornado ever recorded in the 

State of Mississippi; 

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(2) the first EF5 tornado recorded in the State of 

Mississippi since 1966; and 

(3) the first EF5 tornado recorded in the United 

States since May 2008. 

Whereas the massive storms and tornadoes caused widespread damage in the Georgian counties of Bartow, 

Catoosa, Cherokee, Coweta, Dade, Floyd, Gordon, 

Greene, Habersham, Harris, Heard, Lamar, Lumpkin, 

Meriwether, Monroe, Morgan, Newton, Pickens, Polk, 

Rabun, Spalding, Troup, Upson, Walker, and White; 

Whereas the massive storms and tornadoes caused widespread damage in the North Carolina counties of Bertie, 

Bladen, Craven, Cumberland, Currituck, Greene, Halifax, 

Harnett, Hertford, Hoke, Johnston, Lee Onslow, Pitt, 

Robeson, Sampson, Tyrell, Wake, and Wilson; 

Whereas the tornado that swept from Neshoba County, Mississippi to Noxubee County, Mississippi was just the second EF5 tornado recorded in the State of Mississippi 

since 1966; 

Whereas April 27, 2011, marks the third highest number of 

tornado-related fatalities occurring in a single day since 

March 18, 1925, when a series of tornadoes caused 747 

fatalities across 7 States; 

Whereas as of the date of approval of this resolution, the 

total number of fatalities resulting from the devastating 

storms and tornadoes remains unknown; 

Whereas the suffering and distress of thousands of people affected by the storms and tornadoes is ongoing, particularly for those who lost loved ones, homes, and livelihoods; 

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Whereas immediate humanitarian aid is critically needed in 

many of the devastated regions; 

Whereas the local emergency responders, National Guard, 

and many ordinary citizens of the affected regions have 

risked their lives to save others; 

Whereas throughout the crisis, doctors, nurses, and medical 

personnel in the affected regions worked expeditiously to 

ensure that hospitals, medical centers, and triage units 

provided needed care; 

Whereas many faith-based organizations and other volunteer 

organizations and charities are supplying the victims of 

the storms and tornadoes with food, water, and shelter; 

Whereas the Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, Georgia, Virginia, and North Carolina Emergency Management Agencies, the first responders in the affected communities, 

and countless volunteers immediately came to the aid of 

those affected by the storms; 

Whereas the Governor of Alabama, Robert Bentley, the Governor of Tennessee, Bill Haslam, the Governor of Mississippi, Haley Barbour, the Governor of Georgia, Nathan Deal, the Governor of Virginia, Robert McDonnell, 

and the Governor of North Carolina, Beverly Perdue, reacted swiftly and with great leadership in the immediate 

aftermath of the destructive storms and tornadoes; 

Whereas President Obama responded quickly and efficiently 

to approve the requests made by Governors Bentley, 

Haslam, Barbour, Deal, and Perdue for Federal disaster 

assistance; 

Whereas in response to the declaration by the President of 

a major disaster, the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency has made federal disaster asmstockstill on DSKH9S0YB1PROD with BILLS

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sistance available for the State of Alabama and elsewhere 

in the South to assist in local recovery efforts; and 

Whereas thousands of volunteers and government employees 

from across the United States have committed time and 

resources to help with recovery efforts: Now, therefore, be 

it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) expresses the heartfelt condolences of the 

3 Senate to the families and friends of those who lost 

4 their lives, homes, and livelihoods in the tragic 

5 storms and tornadoes of April 2011; 

6 (2) commends the resiliency and courage of the 

7 people of the affected States, including the people of 

8 the States of Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, Geor9 gia, Virginia, and North Carolina; 

10 (3) extends the wishes of the Senate for a full 

11 recovery for all those who were injured in the storms 

12 and tornadoes; 

13 (4) extends the thanks of the Senate to the 

14 forecasters, first responders, firefighters, law en15 forcement personnel, volunteers, and medical per16 sonnel who took quick action to provide warnings, 

17 aid, and comfort to the victims of the storms and 

18 tornadoes; 

19 (5) commits to provide the necessary resources 

20 and to stand by the people of the affected States, inmstockstill on DSKH9S0YB1PROD with BILLS

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1 cluding the people of the States of Alabama, Ten2 nessee, Mississippi, Georgia, Virginia, and North 

3 Carolina, in the relief, recovery, and rebuilding ef4 forts; and 

5 (6) stands with the people affected by the 

6 storms and tornadoes, including the people of the 

7 States of Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, Georgia, 

8 Virginia, and North Carolina, as those people begin 

9 the healing process following this terrible event. 

Æ 

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