MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2006 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Senator(s) Moffatt, Robertson, Gollott, Hewes, Dawkins, Cuevas, Lee (47th), Butler, Dearing, Harden, Horhn, Jackson (11th), Jackson (32nd), Simmons, Walls
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING THE ANHEUSER-BUSCH COMPANIES FOR THE EXTENSIVE AND GENEROUS AID THE COMPANY PROVIDED TO HURRICANE VICTIMS ON THE GULF COAST IN 2005.
WHEREAS, Anheuser-Busch has provided outstanding and much needed assistance to the people of the State of Mississippi in the wake of numerous hurricanes which have battered the coastal region; and
WHEREAS, in 2005, the relief efforts of Anheuser-Busch were truly remarkable and included providing canned water, financial support, transportation and trucking, police support, packaging materials, clothing supplies and employee volunteers; and
WHEREAS, Anheuser-Busch supported many relief agencies providing aid to the devastated region, including the American Red Cross, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Salvation Army and numerous local agencies; and
WHEREAS, with amazing foresight, before the start of the 2005 hurricane season, Anheuser-Busch staged more than 70,000 cases of water near the Gulf Coast in order to be prepared to send needed water to affected areas immediately; and after Hurricane Katrina made landfall, the logistics network, freight carriers and the state's Anheuser-Busch wholesaler family worked with government officials and relief agencies to find routes into areas of need to deliver water to storm victims; and
WHEREAS, four Anheuser-Busch locations devoted a portion of their capacity to canning water, and Anheuser-Busch Companies donated 9,400,000 cans of water to relief efforts in response to Hurricanes Dennis, Katrina, Ophelia, Rita and Wilma, which amounts to more than 300,000 cases, or 180 truckloads of water, of which more than 137,000 cases were donated in Mississippi; and
WHEREAS, total contributions from Anheuser-Busch, its Foundation, wholesalers and employees amounted to more than $3,800,000.00, including a $1,000,000.00 donation from the Anheuser-Busch Foundation to the Red Cross, more than $1,000,000.00 donated by the company's independent wholesalers to the Red Cross Hurricane Katrina relief efforts, more than $300,000.00 from Anheuser-Busch employees, and $1,000,000.00 in matching funds for Anheuser-Busch to the Red Cross for donations from wholesalers and employees; and
WHEREAS, in addition, the total value of goods donated amounted to approximately $1,000,000.00, including the donation by Metal Container Corporation, a subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch, of all cans and lids for packaging of the water provided; and
WHEREAS, the company's St. Louis employees were authorized to take up to five days of paid leave to assist in relief efforts in St. Louis; and
WHEREAS, Anheuser-Busch has been helping disaster victims since 1906, when company founder Adolphus Busch donated money to relief agencies to help victims of the San Francisco earthquake, and since then the company has been one of the first to respond with aid to victims of natural disasters:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That the Legislature of Mississippi does hereby commend Anheuser-Busch Companies for the prompt support and aid it provided to the citizens of Mississippi after the hurricanes of 2005 and does hereby express sincere gratitude for the many donations which the company made following these catastrophic natural disasters.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to August A. Busch III, Chairman of Anheuser-Busch, and be made available to the Capitol Press Corps.