Reps. Hansen, Accavitti, Acciavatti, Anderson, Ball, Bieda, Brandenburg, Byrnes, Casperson, Caul, Clack, Cushingberry, Espinoza, Farrah, Gaffney, Gleason, Gosselin, Green, Hildenbrand, Huizenga, Jones, Kooiman, LaJoy, Leland, Lemmons, III, Lemmons, Jr., Lipsey, Marleau, Mayes, Meyer, Miller, Mortimer, Nitz, Nofs, Palsrok, Pavlov, Pearce, Phillips, Plakas, Proos, Rocca, Schuitmaker, Alma Smith, Stahl, Stakoe, Taub, Vander Veen, Waters, Wojno and Zelenko offered the following resolution:

            House Resolution No. 132.

            A resolution to memorialize the United States Congress to give preference to goods and services provided by American companies for the rebuilding efforts following Hurricane Katrina.

            Whereas, Hurricane Katrina has inflicted terrible damage to New Orleans as well as to large areas of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. The tragedy has moved Americans to donate money, goods, and services in unprecedented amounts to the people devastated by this storm. The outpouring of care for the victims of Katrina by people from across our country has reassured the people of the afflicted states that they will not be alone in recovering their lives; and

            Whereas, Reflecting the concern and generosity of the public, the federal government and Congress have pledged to rebuild much of what was devastated. Local resources are clearly insufficient to cope with the magnitude of the destruction and so this will be a national response to an American disaster. Bolstered by the support of an entire nation, the people of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama will be able to stride forward confident that their hard work will lead to a better future; and

            Whereas, The monetary resources necessary to rebuild shattered levees and lives seem staggering. But we are a great country with resources to match our compassion. Yet in our eagerness to help now, we must carefully allocate the resources to make sure that American goods and services are used to rebuild the hurricane-devastated regions. If we ignore the economic needs of the rest of the country by failing to draw on the nation's companies for the repair and recovery, we will inflict unneeded damage on the regions of our country that escaped the winds and floodwaters; now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we memorialize the United States Congress to give preference to goods and services provided by American companies for the rebuilding efforts following Hurricane Katrina; and be it further

            Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.