108TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. CON. RES. 488
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Whereas the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra-
tion’s National Weather Service consistently provides
critical forecasts and warnings about severe weather to
the Nation’s citizens;
Whereas 2 hurricanes, Charley and Frances, recently hit the
State of Florida back-to-back, an event which has not oc-
curred since 1964;
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Whereas Hurricane Ivan was the third hurricane in a month
to hit the United States mainland;
Whereas the employees of the National Oceanic and Atmos-
pheric Administration Tropical Prediction Center/Na-
tional Hurricane Center and the employees of key South-
ern Region Weather Forecast Offices worked tirelessly
and under great pressure to provide the most up to date
information to the public, the media, and emergency
management 
officials 
during 
Hurricanes 
Charley,
Frances, and Ivan;
Whereas the employees of the National Hurricane Center
conducted 656 live television interviews as well as 1227
telephone briefings to the media and others during Hurri-
canes Frances and Ivan;
Whereas the forecasts and information from the National
Hurricane Center provided notice for the safe evacuation
of more than 6,000,000 residents in the line of Hurri-
canes Charley, Frances, and Ivan and warnings to the
residents of Florida, Mississippi, Alabama, and Lou-
isiana;
Whereas the Hurricane Liaison Team, a joint National Oce-
anic and Atmospheric Administration and Federal Emer-
gency Management Agency partnership, provided support
to the 25 different media outlets operating out of the Na-
tional Hurricane Center;
Whereas the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra-
tion’s Hydrometeorological Prediction Center provided
rainfall forecasts and hurricane track guidance to the
National Hurricane Center;
Whereas the National Weather Service’s National Data Buoy
Center, in partnership with the United States Coast
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Guard, worked expediently after Hurricane Charley to fix
data buoys that proved critical for forecasts of Hurricane
Frances and Ivan;
Whereas the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra-
tion’s National Ocean Service provided storm surge pre-
dictions and hydrographic information support to Federal
partners before, during, and after Hurricanes Charley,
Frances, and Ivan;
Whereas the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra-
tion’s National Environmental Satellite Data and Infor-
mation Service provided images of Hurricane Frances
every 5 minutes over a 4-day period, an unprecedented
number of images for hurricane tracking;
Whereas the Southern and Eastern Region Weather Forecast
Offices of San Juan, Miami, Tampa Bay, Key West, Mel-
bourne, Jacksonville, Tallahassee, Atlanta, Birmingham,
Huntsville, Mobile, Morristown, Charleston, Morehead
City, Wilmington, Wakefield, Taunton, Lake Charles,
New Orleans, Jackson, Nashville, and Houston provided
up-to-the-minute local details for residents throughout
Hurricanes Charley, Frances, and Ivan;
Whereas employees from other offices within the Southern
Region provided additional support to key Weather Fore-
cast Offices directly impacted by Hurricanes Charley,
Frances, and Ivan;
Whereas more than 1,700 watches, warnings, advisories, and
other statements were issued by key local Weather Fore-
cast Offices during Hurricanes Charley, Frances, and
Ivan;
Whereas the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra-
tion’s Marine and Aviation Operation’s Hurricane Hunt-
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ers logged 344 hours of flight time through and above
the storms to assist the National Hurricane Center in
tracking Hurricanes Charley, Frances, and Ivan;
Whereas the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron of the
403rd Wing of the Air Force Reserve Command at
Keesler Air Force Base, Biloxi, Mississippi, logged 537
hours of flight time through and above the storms to as-
sist the National Hurricane Center in tracking Hurri-
canes Charley, Frances, and Ivan;
Whereas the Southeast River Forecast Center provided crit-
ical river flooding forecast information to Federal, State,
and 
private 
partners 
during 
Hurricanes 
Charley,
Frances, and Ivan and accurately predicted the amount
of excessive rainfall over the Southeastern United States
several days in advance; and
Whereas it is still the first half of hurricane season and all
these employees remain engaged tracking tropical storms:
Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That the Congress—
(1) commends the employees of the National
Weather Service, especially the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration Tropical Prediction
Center/National 
Hurricane 
Center,
Hydrometeorological Prediction Center, and Na-
tional Data Buoy Center; the 53rd Weather Recon-
naissance Squadron of the 403rd Wing of the Air
Force Reserve Command at Keesler Air Force Base,
Biloxi, Mississippi; the National Oceanic and Atmos-
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pheric Administration Aircraft Operations Center at
MacDill Air Force Base, Tampa, Florida; the Hurri-
cane Liaison Team; the National Ocean Service; and
the National Environmental Satellite Data and In-
formation Service, for their extraordinary dedication
and hard work during Hurricanes Charley, Frances,
and Ivan;
(2) commends the Southern and Eastern Re-
gion Weather Forecast Offices of San Juan, Miami,
Tampa Bay, Key West, Melbourne, Jacksonville,
Tallahassee, Atlanta, Birmingham, Huntsville, Mo-
bile, Morristown, Charleston, Morehead City, Wil-
mington, Wakefield, Taunton, Lake Charles, New
Orleans, Jackson, Nashville, and Houston for their
extraordinary dedication and hard work during Hur-
ricanes Charley, Frances, and Ivan;
(3) thanks the commercial and media mete-
orologists for their contributions in disseminating
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra-
tion forecasts and warnings to the public; and
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(4) expresses its support for the ongoing hard
work and dedication of all who provide accurate and
timely hurricane forecasts.
Passed the House of Representatives September 22,
2004.
Attest:
Clerk.