IV 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 979 

Commending the efforts and honoring the work of the men and women 

of the USNS Comfort, the USNS Mercy, and the United States Navy 

in the response to those affected by the COVID–19 outbreaks in Los 

Angeles, California, and New York, New York. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 22, 2020 

Mr. RESCHENTHALER (for himself, Mr. GARCIA of California, Mr. COOK, Ms. 

STEFANIK, and Mr. CALVERT) submitted the following resolution; which 

was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition 

to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions 

as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

RESOLUTION 

Commending the efforts and honoring the work of the men 

and women of the USNS Comfort, the USNS Mercy, 

and the United States Navy in the response to those 

affected by the COVID–19 outbreaks in Los Angeles, 

California, and New York, New York. 

Whereas the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID–19), a deadly 

respiratory virus, originated in the People’s Republic of 

China and spread to the United States, infecting and killing tens of thousands of American citizens; 


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•HRES 979 IH 

Whereas large cities on the East and West Coasts of the 

United States faced difficult challenges battling COVID– 

19, especially in densely populated urban centers; 

Whereas President Donald J. Trump and Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Mike Gilday ordered the hospital ships, 

United States Naval Ship (hereinafter, ‘‘USNS’’) Mercy 

(T–AH–19) and USNS Comfort (T–AH–20), to deploy 

to the front lines of the COVID–19 response in New 

York, New York, and Los Angeles, California; 

Whereas the Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS 

Mercy arrived into the Port of Los Angeles on March 27, 

2020, and her 800-plus crew treated a total of 77 patients and assisted with care at nearby medical facilities 

in the greater Los Angeles area; 

Whereas the Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS 

Comfort moored at Manhattan’s pier 90 in New York, 

New York, on March 30, 2020, and 1,200 personnel 

treated a total of 182 patients before returning to Naval 

Station Norfolk; 

Whereas Rear Admiral Mustin, Vice Commander of the 

United States Fleet Forces Command, stated, ‘‘The last 

time that this great hospital ship was here was in the 

wake of 9/11, where she served as respite and comfort for 

our first responders working around the clock’’; 

Whereas Captain Patrick Amersbach stated regarding the 

USNS Comfort, ‘‘We were the busiest ICU in the Department of Defense over the past month’’ and that at 

least 70 percent of patients were COVID–19 positive; 

Whereas the USNS Comfort and USNS Mercy’s primary 

mission is to provide an afloat, mobile, and acute surgical 

medical facility to the United States military that is flexiVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:27 May 22, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR979.IH HR979

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•HRES 979 IH 

ble, capable, and uniquely adaptable to support expeditionary warfare; 

Whereas the USNS Comfort and USNS Mercy’s secondary 

mission is to provide full hospital services to support disaster relief and humanitarian operations worldwide; and 

Whereas active duty, reserve, and civilian personnel fulfilled 

the mission status motto of ‘‘ready five’’ as the ships responded quickly in order to complete the critical mission 

of fighting COVID–19: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Rep2 resentatives to— 

3 (1) express its deepest condolences and sym4 pathy to the family and friends for those who lost 

5 loved ones during the COVID–19 pandemic; 

6 (2) commend the health care workers and first 

7 responders who have provided relief, sacrifice, and 

8 care for those fallen ill from COVID–19; and 

9 (3) commend the efforts and honor the work of 

10 the men and women of the USNS Mercy, USNS 

11 Comfort, and the members of the Armed Forces and 

12 civilians who deployed rapidly to New York and Cali13 fornia to those affected by this pandemic. 

Æ 


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