| 1 | House Resolution |
| 2 | A resolution recognizing and expressing heartfelt |
| 3 | gratitude to the 38 U.S. states and 2 Canadian provinces |
| 4 | that provided relief workers and equipment to help restore |
| 5 | electrical power to Florida in the long aftermath of |
| 6 | Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne. |
| 7 |
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| 8 | WHEREAS, the four major hurricanes that struck Florida in |
| 9 | August and September of 2004 damaged or destroyed vital |
| 10 | infrastructure in nearly all of the state's counties, leaving |
| 11 | millions of residents and visitors without power for many weeks |
| 12 | at a time between August 13 and October 1, and |
| 13 | WHEREAS, Hurricane Charley left 1.7 million people without |
| 14 | power, Hurricane Frances left 2.9 million people without power, |
| 15 | Hurricane Ivan left 443,000 people without power, and Hurricane |
| 16 | Jeanne left 2.9 million people without power, and in Hardee |
| 17 | County the entire power-delivery structure was completely |
| 18 | destroyed, and |
| 19 | WHEREAS, the severity of the recurrent battering of Florida |
| 20 | in August and September greatly overtaxed the capability of |
| 21 | state and local government and Florida's electric utility |
| 22 | companies to restore power, compromising the safety, security, |
| 23 | and health of residents and businesses, and |
| 24 | WHEREAS, 38 U.S. states and 2 Canadian provinces responded |
| 25 | to Florida's crisis by sending thousands of power-restoration |
| 26 | workers, along with the necessary equipment, to rebuild the |
| 27 | state's electric power infrastructure, and |
| 28 | WHEREAS, these states and provinces are: Alabama, Arizona, |
| 29 | Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, |
| 30 | Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, |
| 31 | Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, |
| 32 | Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North |
| 33 | Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode |
| 34 | Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, |
| 35 | Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Ontario, and Quebec, and |
| 36 | WHEREAS, Floridians in thousands of our communities have |
| 37 | had personal opportunities to express their gratitude directly |
| 38 | to the relief workers who came to Florida and worked tirelessly |
| 39 | to repair the hurricane damage, and |
| 40 | WHEREAS, the members of the Florida House of |
| 41 | Representatives also wish to express enthusiastic gratitude for |
| 42 | the vital support provided by these states and provinces and for |
| 43 | the generous personal efforts extended by the individuals who |
| 44 | came to Florida's rescue, NOW, THEREFORE, |
| 45 |
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| 46 | Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of |
| 47 | Florida: |
| 48 |
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| 49 | That the Florida House of Representatives pauses in its |
| 50 | deliberations to honor those workers who came to the aid of this |
| 51 | state following the hurricanes of 2004 and to express its |
| 52 | gratitude for the generous support of the states and provinces |
| 53 | that sent workers and equipment. |