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. BOS-
WELL, 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. KIL-
PATRICK of Michigan, Ms. KILROY, Mr. KIRK, Mrs. KIRKPATRICK of Ari-
zona, 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 Rep-
resentatives regarding the hijacking of the Maersk Ala-
bama, 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 Bain-
bridge, USS Boxer, USS Halyburton, and Patrol Squad-
ron (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 Ala-
bama 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 him-
self 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 dis-
patched 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 pi-
rate activities, arrived on the scene; 
Whereas the USS Bainbridge, under the command of U.S. 
Navy Commander Frank Castellano, monitored the con-
ditions on the lifeboat and prevented the pirates from es-
caping; 
Whereas Commander Castellano served as the on-the-scene 
coordinator for the combined rescue efforts of the State 
Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation hostage ne-
gotiators, and the U.S. Navy; 
Whereas U.S. Navy SEALs quickly deployed to the scene; 
Whereas, while being held by pirates, Captain Phillips at-
tempted 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 ex-
traordinary 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, there-
fore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
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HRES 339 IH 
(1) commends the crew of the Maersk Alabama 
and Captain Phillips, who selflessly placed himself in 
harm’s way to protect his crew; 
(2) recognizes the United States Navy, the 
crews of the USS Bainbridge, Boxer, Halyburton, 
and Patrol Squadron (VP) 8 for their role in the 
rescue; 
(3) congratulates the Navy SEALs on the scene 
for their decisive action that resulted in the rescue 
of Captain Phillips; and 
(4) joins all Americans in expressing great re-
lief that the crew has returned home safely. 
Æ 
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