House Resolution 124

A RESOLUTION EXPRESSING APPRECIATION TO THE PEOPLE OF AUSTRALIA FOR THEIR GENUINE CONCERN FOR AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE PEOPLE OF MISSISSIPPI IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING HURRICANE KATRINA.

WHEREAS, immediately following Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the Australian Prime Minister, the Honorable John Howard PM, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Honorable Alexander Downer MP, and the Australian Ambassador to the United States, the Honorable Dennis J. Richardson, took massive steps to secure much needed relief supplies for the people of the great State of Mississippi; and

WHEREAS, three days after Katrina's landfall, the Australian Government offered to make available to the United States two specialist emergency managers to assist with the community recovery phase of the response to the natural disaster which engulfed the Gulf Coast; and

WHEREAS, on day four, 96 hours out from perhaps the most devastating storm of the century, the Australian Government again proved their loyalty and concern for the United States, announcing a donation of $10 million, which was combined with funds donated by private Australian citizens, to assist the victims of Hurricane Katrina; and

WHEREAS, the donations aided the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army, which were at the forefront of assisting those displaced and left homeless in a disaster zone spanning 145,000 square kilometers; and

WHEREAS, often at the helm of international aid efforts to help less fortunate nations, the United States was now in a vulnerable situation, needing aid, and it was a fitting and proper humanitarian gesture of the Australian Government to contribute to the daunting task of aiding thousands of American citizens whose lives had been thrown into disarray; and

WHEREAS, it is the desire of the Mississippi House of Representatives to officially thank Australia's Prime Minister, the Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Australian Ambassador to the United States and its people for their genuine heartfelt concern:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby extend our sincerest thanks and respect to the Prime Minister, the Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Australian Ambassador to the United States and the Australian people, whose actions and contributions following the destruction wrought by Hurricane Katrina served to provide much needed help to the State of Mississippi, thereby immediately improving the lives of countless Mississippians during their time of great need.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to the Australian Prime Minister, the Honorable John Howard PM, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Honorable Alexander Downer MP, and the Australian Ambassador to the United States, the Honorable Dennis J. Richardson, and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.