Res. No. 1151
Resolution requesting that the Mayor of the City of New York send a budget modification to the City Council for $1 million to be appropriated to the American Red Cross to enable it to provide additional assistance in the Hurricane Katrina Relief Effort.
By Council Members McMahon, Baez, Fidler, Foster, Gennaro, Gentile, Gerson, Gonzalez, Nelson, Palma, Quinn, Sanders Jr., Vann, Lanza and Jackson
Whereas, On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane near Grand Isle, Louisiana and the mouth of the Mississippi River; and
Whereas, Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath caused catastrophic damage, wiped out entire neighborhoods, displaced hundreds of thousands of residents in the southeastern United States, constituting the worst natural disaster in the history of the United States; and
Whereas, In the wake of the September 11th terrorist attacks, according to the New York City Fire Department (the “Department”), the State of Louisiana provided technical and monetary support for the City of New York by raising almost $1 million to purchase fire vehicles for the Department, including the “Spirit of Louisiana” which was dedicated to the Department in December 2002; and
Whereas, In a similar gesture of goodwill, New York City recently deployed over 300 police officers, 300 firefighters, and a convoy of fire vehicles led by the “Spirit of Louisiana” to Louisiana to aid in the rescue efforts; and
Whereas, According to State Department, the United States has received offers to aid in the humanitarian crisis triggered by Hurricane Katrina from more than 50 countries, including some of the world’s poorest nations- such as Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Honduras, and those countries hardest hit by the December 2004 tsunami including Thailand, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and India; and
Whereas, Although such assistance has been extremely beneficial, additional support is necessary to aid the public and private organizations, such as the American Red Cross, that have launched the largest mobilization of resources for a single natural domestic disaster and continue to provide relief for victims of Hurricane Katrina; and
Whereas, In light of the outpouring of worldwide support and Louisiana’s generosity in the aftermath of September 11th, it is incumbent upon the City of New York to join together with countries from around the world and help victims of Hurricane Katrina; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York requests that the Mayor of the City of New York send a budget modification to the City Council for $1 million to be appropriated to the American Red Cross to enable it to provide additional assistance in the Hurricane Katrina Relief Effort.
J:Finbrown/Resos LS#3453/ 9/9/05