Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

Tennessee Senate Bill SJR0043 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1
2	2	<BillNo> <Sponsor>
3	3
4	4	SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 43
5	5	By Massey
6	6
7	7
8	8	SJR0043
9	9	001913
10	10	- 1 -
11	11
12	12	A RESOLUTION to honor those individuals, organizations, and
13	13	agencies that came to the aid of their fellow
14	14	citizens during Hurricane Helene.
15	15
16	16	WHEREAS, on September 27, 2024, one of the most catastrophic floods ever to hit this
17	17	State devastated several areas across East Tennessee; and
18	18	WHEREAS, on that fateful day, the water rose rapidly across East Tennessee as
19	19	torrential rains fell, causing extensive damage in Carter, Cocke, Grainger, Greene, Hamblen,
20	20	Hawkins, Jefferson, Johnson, Sevier, Sullivan, Unicoi, and Washington counties; and
21	21	WHEREAS, these portions of East Tennessee suffered catastrophic flooding, with vast
22	22	swaths of communities washed away in the flood waters, and seventeen individuals were
23	23	confirmed to have lost their lives due to the rampaging water that reached an unprecedented
24	24	level; and
25	25	WHEREAS, without hesitation or concern for their own safety, citizens, community
26	26	organizations, and government agencies quickly stepped up and united with area first
27	27	responders and emergency personnel to help their fellow Tennesseans in distress, selflessly
28	28	making countless heroic efforts to rescue their neighbors from the flood waters; and
29	29	WHEREAS, as the good people of East Tennessee and the surrounding areas begin to
30	30	recover from this catastrophe, they are filled with gratitude for the many who risked their lives to
31	31	prevent further damage and to save those in danger; and
32	32	WHEREAS, they are grateful for and overwhelmed by the humanitarian efforts of the
33	33	many businesses, charitable and civic organizations, churches, government agencies, and
34	34	individuals who responded promptly and gave generously of their resources to help the people
35	35	of East Tennessee in their time of dire need; and
36	36
37	37
38	38	- 2 - 001913
39	39
40	40	WHEREAS, local and State agencies involved in recovery efforts include the
41	41	Department of Commerce and Insurance, the Department of Environment and Conservation,
42	42	the Department of Health, the Department of Human Services, the Department of Labor and
43	43	Workforce Development, the Department of Military, the Department of Revenue, the
44	44	Department of Safety and Homeland Security, the Department of Transportation, Governor Bill
45	45	Lee and the Governor's offices, individual State employees, members of the General Assembly,
46	46	the Office of the First Lady, TennCare, the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, the
47	47	Tennessee Highway Patrol, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, and countless other
48	48	individuals and volunteers; and
49	49	WHEREAS, it has been said that the human race is at its best when circumstances are
50	50	at their worst; this adage is proven by the generous and compassionate manner in which the
51	51	citizens of this great State and nation opened their hearts to the people of East Tennessee with
52	52	emergency and medical assistance, moral and financial support, and, most importantly, love
53	53	and understanding during the recent flooding disaster; now, therefore,
54	54	BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTEENTH
55	55	GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE, THE HOUSE OF
56	56	REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING, that we commend and offer our appreciation and most
57	57	sincere thanks to all the first responders; firefighters; healthcare personnel; law enforcement
58	58	officers; missionary groups and churches; animal rescue groups; local, state, and federal
59	59	agencies; and corporations, individuals, businesses, organizations, and agencies that provided
60	60	professional assistance or humanitarian aid to the citizens of East Tennessee during the recent
61	61	flood that raged through the communities and surrounding areas. We extend our deepest
62	62	appreciation to those heroic, everyday Tennesseans, who, in a moment of great peril, came to
63	63	the aid and rescue of their neighbors and friends without hesitation; it is these unsung heroes
64	64	who comprise the very heart of the Volunteer State.
65	65
66	66
67	67	- 3 - 001913
68	68
69	69	BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that an appropriate copy of this resolution be prepared
70	70	for presentation with this final clause omitted from such copy and upon proper request made to
71	71	the appropriate clerk, the language appearing immediately following the State seal appear
72	72	without House or Senate designation.