SENATE RESOLUTION

                         1997-8619

By Senators Snyder, Hargrove, Swecker, Zarelli, Long, Goings, Swanson, Prince, Kohl, McCaslin, Sheldon, Loveland, Spanel, Horn, Oke, Haugen, Rossi, Bauer and Rasmussen

     WHEREAS, The entire state of Washington mourns the loss of Petty Officer 2^nd Class David Bosley, Petty Officer 3^rd Class Matthew Schlimme, and Seaman Clinton Miniken, the Coast Guard officers who died in a tragic accident Wednesday; and

     WHEREAS, These three brave crewmen died trying to save the lives of others; and

     WHEREAS, This was a rare accident for the Coast Guard, the first fatal capsizing of this type of rescue boat in its thirty-five year history; and

     WHEREAS, The Coast Guard is the primary federal agency with maritime authority for the United States; and

     WHEREAS, One of the Coast Guard=s main missions is to render aid to people in distress and their property in the marine environment; and

     WHEREAS, The Coast Guard maintains Search and Rescue facilities all along the United States mainland coasts, as well as Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, Puerto Rico, the Great Lakes, and internal U.S. waterways; and

     WHEREAS, On a typical day the Coast Guard saves 32 lives, assists 308 people, saves $8 million in property value, conducts 142 search and rescue operations, responds to 34 oil or hazardous chemical spills, investigates 17 marine accidents, and boards 90 large vessels for port safety checks;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Washington State Senate honor the approximately 37,000 men and women serving in the U.S. Coast Guard and pay its respects to the three crewmen who lost their lives Wednesday in the service of  their country; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That we now bow our heads in a minute of silent prayer for their families and loved ones, who must go on without a son, a father, a husband, a brother, a friend.

I, Mike O=Connell, Secretary of the Senate,

do hereby certify that this is a true and

correct copy of Senate Resolution 1997-8619,

adopted by the Senate February 14, 1997.

MIKE O=CONNELL

Secretary of the Senate