Patrick Leahy: “I am pleased the Judiciary Committee approved and the Senate is considering S. 655, the American National Red Cross…”

“I am pleased the Judiciary Committee approved and the Senate is considering S. 655, the American National Red Cross Governance Modernization Act of 2007. I thank my colleagues, Senator Grassley and Senator Kennedy, for their hard work on this issue and for introducing this important bill. Since its founding by Clara Barton in 1881, the American Red Cross has provided crucial relief services to those affected by famine, floods, and natural and manmade disasters. Last year alone, the American Red Cross responded to approximately 75,000 disasters with the help of more than 1 million volunteers and 35,000 employees. As a key participant in the U.S. disaster relief plan, the American Red Cross is charged with helping the United States prevent, prepare and respond to national emergencies. Over the past several years, however, the American Red Cross has been strained by disasters of an unparalleled scope: the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the December 2004 Asian tsunami, and the 2005 hurricane season that included the enormously destructive Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma.”