IV 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 339 

Expressing the sense of the United States House of Representatives regarding 

the hijacking of the Maersk Alabama, the kidnapping of Captain Richard 

Phillips by Somali pirates, the rescue of Captain Phillips by United 

States Navy SEALs and the crews of the USS Bainbridge, USS Boxer, 

USS Halyburton, and Patrol Squadron (VP) 8, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 21, 2009 

Mr. WELCH (for himself, Mr. LANGEVIN, Mr. AKIN, Mr. ALEXANDER, Mr. 

BISHOP of Utah, Mr. BISHOP of New York, Mr. BOCCIERI, Mr. BOSWELL, Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania, Mr. BRALEY of Iowa, Mr. 

CARNAHAN, Mr. CARSON of Indiana, Mr. CASTLE, Mr. CHAFFETZ, Mr. 

CHANDLER, Mr. COFFMAN of Colorado, Mr. COHEN, Mr. CONAWAY, Mr. 

COSTA, Mr. COURTNEY, Mr. CRENSHAW, Mrs. DAHLKEMPER, Mrs. 

DAVIS of California, Mr. DELAHUNT, Mr. FOSTER, Mr. HALL of New 

York, Mr. HEINRICH, Mr. HINCHEY, Mr. HODES, Mr. HOLDEN, Mr. 

HOLT, Mr. HONDA, Mr. ISRAEL, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of 

Texas, Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia, Mr. JONES, Mr. KENNEDY, Ms. KILPATRICK of Michigan, Ms. KILROY, Mr. KIRK, Mrs. KIRKPATRICK of Arizona, Mr. KISSELL, Ms. KOSMAS, Mr. KRATOVIL, Mr. LAMBORN, Mr. 

LARSEN of Washington, Mr. LOBIONDO, Mr. MAFFEI, Mrs. MALONEY, 

Mr. MARKEY of Massachusetts, Mr. MARSHALL, Mr. MASSA, Mrs. 

MCCARTHY of New York, Mr. MCHUGH, Mr. MCINTYRE, Mr. MCKEON, 

Mr. MCMAHON, Mrs. MCMORRIS RODGERS, Mr. MICA, Mr. MINNICK, 

Mr. MITCHELL, Mr. MORAN of Virginia, Mr. NYE, Mr. ORTIZ, Mr. 

PALLONE, Mr. PASCRELL, Mr. PETERS, Ms. PINGREE of Maine, Mr. POE

of Texas, Mr. REICHERT, Mr. REYES, Mr. RODRIGUEZ, Mr. ROGERS of 

Michigan, Mr. ROONEY, Mr. ROTHMAN of New Jersey, Mr. SESTAK, Ms. 

SHEA-PORTER, Mr. SHUSTER, Mr. SKELTON, Mr. SPACE, Mr. SPRATT, 

Mrs. TAUSCHER, Mr. TEAGUE, Mr. TONKO, Mr. WALZ, Mr. WILSON of 

Ohio, Mr. WILSON of South Carolina, Mr. WITTMAN, and Mr. GERLACH) 

submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 

on Armed Services 


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HRES 339 IH 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of the United States House of Representatives regarding the hijacking of the Maersk Alabama, the kidnapping of Captain Richard Phillips by 

Somali pirates, the rescue of Captain Phillips by United 

States Navy SEALs and the crews of the USS Bainbridge, USS Boxer, USS Halyburton, and Patrol Squadron (VP) 8, and for other purposes. 

Whereas on April 8, 2009, a group of armed Somali pirates 

hijacked the Norfolk, Virginia-based Maersk Alabama, a 

U.S. flagged cargo ship; 

Whereas this attack represents the first such attack on a 

U.S. flagged vessel in modern history; 

Whereas Captain Richard Phillips of Underhill, Vermont, 

commander of the Maersk Alabama, graduated from the 

Massachusetts Maritime Academy and has over 20 years 

of maritime experience; 

Whereas Captain Phillips and the crew of the Maersk Alabama were delivering a life-sustaining USAID shipment 

of over 8,000 metric tons of food aid to Kenya, Somalia, 

and Uganda when the ship came under pirate attack; 

Whereas the crew of the Maersk Alabama overpowered one 

of the pirate attackers, and Captain Phillips offered himself up in return for the safe release of his crew and ship; 

Whereas four pirates then fled with Captain Phillips to an 

18-foot lifeboat; 

Whereas the United States Fifth Fleet immediately dispatched Maritime Patrol (P–3) Aircraft to locate and 

positively identify and monitor the Maersk Alabama to 

vector the closest U.S. Navy ship to the scene; 


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•HRES 339 IH 

Whereas the United States Navy destroyer USS Bainbridge, 

which had been patrolling the region due to increased pirate activities, arrived on the scene; 

Whereas the USS Bainbridge, under the command of U.S. 

Navy Commander Frank Castellano, monitored the conditions on the lifeboat and prevented the pirates from escaping; 

Whereas Commander Castellano served as the on-the-scene 

coordinator for the combined rescue efforts of the State 

Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation hostage negotiators, and the U.S. Navy; 

Whereas U.S. Navy SEALs quickly deployed to the scene; 

Whereas, while being held by pirates, Captain Phillips attempted a daring escape, diving into the ocean and trying 

to swim to safety before being recaptured; 

Whereas the pirates held Captain Phillips at gunpoint for 5 

days; 

Whereas the Navy SEALs once again demonstrated their extraordinary bravery, skill, and professionalism in rescuing 

Captain Phillips; 

Whereas the USS Halyburton assisted the USS Bainbridge 

with the rescue operation, by skillfully ensuring that the 

pirates were blocked in their attempt to reach the Somali 

coast; and 

Whereas the USS Boxer assisted in the rescue operation by 

standing by to provide immediate medical support, which 

was thankfully not needed in this operation: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 


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HRES 339 IH 

1 (1) commends the crew of the Maersk Alabama 

2 and Captain Phillips, who selflessly placed himself in 

3 harm’s way to protect his crew; 

4 (2) recognizes the United States Navy, the 

5 crews of the USS Bainbridge, Boxer, Halyburton, 

6 and Patrol Squadron (VP) 8 for their role in the 

7 rescue; 

8 (3) congratulates the Navy SEALs on the scene 

9 for their decisive action that resulted in the rescue 

10 of Captain Phillips; and 

11 (4) joins all Americans in expressing great re12 lief that the crew has returned home safely. 

Æ 


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