81R13834 MMS-D

By: Legler H.R. No. 924

R E S O L U T I O N

WHEREAS, The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary plays a crucial role in the operations of this country's oldest continuing seagoing service; and

WHEREAS, Founded by the U.S. Congress in 1939 and now numbering some 30,000 active members, the auxiliary is the uniformed volunteer component of the coast guard and supports that branch of the armed forces in all its missions, save for military and law enforcement actions; and

WHEREAS, Each year, members of the auxiliary devote more than 2 million hours to coast guard activities; on any given day, auxiliarists throughout the country will assist 28 people, save 1 life, come to the aid of 10 vessels, conduct more than 60 safety patrols, and participate in 100 operational support missions and nearly 50 administrative support missions; they will also educate more than 350 individuals about boating safety and perform approximately 300 vessel safety checks; and

WHEREAS, Auxiliary members attached to U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Houston render exceptional service, both in performing routine assignments and in augmenting the station's emergency response capability; the demands on this air station and its auxiliary are particularly heavy, owing to the region's vulnerability to hurricanes and tropical storms, the presence of an area population surpassing five million, and the extensive volume of commercial shipping on this part of the coast; and

WHEREAS, In 2006, President George W. Bush awarded the Presidential Unit Citation to all branches of the U.S. Coast Guard, including the auxiliary, for their meritorious action from August 29, 2005, to September 13, 2005, in preparing for, and responding to, Hurricane Katrina; and

WHEREAS, Whether engaging in public outreach or reinforcing their active-duty and reserve counterparts in such work as search and rescue, homeland security, or maritime environmental protection operations, members of coast guard auxiliary units at Air Station Houston and across the nation adhere faithfully to the coast guard's motto, "Always Ready," and they are providing service of immeasurable value; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas Legislature hereby honor the members of the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary at Air Station Houston and around the country for their outstanding contributions to their communities and this nation; and, be it further

RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for the auxiliary unit at Air Station Houston as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives.