[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 4 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]



109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 4

 Expressing the sympathy and pledging the support of the United States 
   Senate and the people of the United States for the victims of the 
  powerful earthquake and devastating tsunami that struck Bangladesh, 
Burma, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Malaysia, the Maldives, the Seychelles, 
Somalia, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, and other areas of South Asia, 
           Southeast Asia, and Africa, on December 26, 2004.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            January 4, 2005

 Mr. Frist (for himself, Mr. Reid, Mr. Lugar, Mr. Biden, Mr. Akaka, Mr. 
        Alexander, Mr. Allard, Mr. Allen, Mr. Baucus, Mr. Bayh, Mr. 
        Bennett, Mr. Bingaman, Mr. Bond, Mrs. Boxer, Mr. Brownback, Mr. 
        Bunning, Mr. Burns, Mr. Burr, Mr. Byrd, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. 
        Carper, Mr. Chafee, Mr. Chambliss, Mrs. Clinton, Mr. Coburn, 
        Mr. Cochran, Mr. Coleman, Ms. Collins, Mr. Conrad, Mr. Cornyn, 
        Mr. Corzine, Mr. Craig, Mr. Crapo, Mr. Dayton, Mr. DeMint, Mr. 
        DeWine, Mr. Dodd, Mrs. Dole, Mr. Domenici, Mr. Dorgan, Mr. 
        Durbin, Mr. Ensign, Mr. Enzi, Mr. Feingold, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. 
        Graham, Mr. Grassley, Mr. Gregg, Mr. Hagel, Mr. Harkin, Mr. 
        Hatch, Mrs. Hutchison, Mr. Inhofe, Mr. Inouye, Mr. Isakson, Mr. 
        Jeffords, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Kerry, Mr. Kohl, Mr. 
        Kyl, Ms. Landrieu, Mr. Lautenberg, Mr. Leahy, Mr. Levin, Mr. 
        Lieberman, Mrs. Lincoln, Mr. Lott, Mr. Martinez, Mr. McCain, 
        Mr. McConnell, Ms. Mikulski, Ms. Murkowski, Mrs. Murray, Mr. 
        Nelson of Florida, Mr. Nelson of Nebraska, Mr. Obama, Mr. 
        Pryor, Mr. Reed, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Rockefeller, Mr. Salazar, Mr. 
        Santorum, Mr. Sarbanes, Mr. Schumer, Mr. Sessions, Mr. Shelby, 
        Mr. Smith, Ms. Snowe, Mr. Specter, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. Stevens, 
        Mr. Sununu, Mr. Talent, Mr. Thomas, Mr. Thune, Mr. Vitter, Mr. 
        Voinovich, Mr. Warner, and Mr. Wyden) submitted the following 
        resolution; which was considered and agreed toYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the sympathy and pledging the support of the United States 
   Senate and the people of the United States for the victims of the 
  powerful earthquake and devastating tsunami that struck Bangladesh, 
Burma, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Malaysia, the Maldives, the Seychelles, 
Somalia, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, and other areas of South Asia, 
           Southeast Asia, and Africa, on December 26, 2004.

Whereas on December 26, 2004, a tremendous earthquake, registered at 9.0 on the 
        Richter scale and centered 100 miles off the coast of Northern Sumatra, 
        Indonesia, triggered a deadly tsunami that swept throughout the Indian 
        Ocean and beyond, devastating cities, towns, and communities, and 
        killing or injuring persons in Southeast Asia and South Asia, through 
        the island nations of the region, to Eastern Africa;
Whereas, as a result of the earthquake and ensuing tsunami, more than 140,000 
        people have lost their lives to date, tens of thousands of people are 
        injured or missing, and the final death toll could climb into the 
        hundreds of thousands;
Whereas the victims also include thousands of nationals who were visiting the 
        region when the tsunami hit, including significant numbers from Europe 
        and North and South America;
Whereas millions of people throughout Southeast Asia and South Asia have been 
        left without food, shelter, or clean water, and now face deadly diseases 
        such as cholera, dengue fever, dysentery, malaria, and typhoid;
Whereas thousands of children have been killed or injured, by this disaster;
Whereas, as a result of this tragedy, thousands of children have been separated 
        from their families or orphaned and are in need of re-unification or 
        adoption;
Whereas whole coastal communities and cities throughout the region were 
        obliterated;
Whereas recovery, reconstruction, and clean-up of the devastated areas likely 
        will take years, billions of dollars, and the concerted leadership of 
        the United States working together with the international community;
Whereas the people of the United States immediately responded and expressed 
        their sympathy and concern by sending financial aid and other assistance 
        currently totaling more than $100,000,000, through nongovernmental 
        organizations and other means, to the victims of this disaster, and by 
        offering to volunteer in the disaster rescue, recovery, and rebuilding;
Whereas soon after the earthquake and tsunami hit the region, the United States 
        Government expressed its condolences and invoked six disaster 
        declarations for the nations hardest hit by this natural disaster, thus 
        triggering the release of emergency funding to these countries;
Whereas less than 24 hours after these tragedies became known, the United States 
        announced an initial pledge of $15,000,000 for emergency humanitarian 
        assistance, which was increased to $35,000,000 in the following days as 
        the scope of the tragedy unfolded;
Whereas President George W. Bush also dispatched more than 20 United States 
        military cargo and patrol aircraft, redirected a Marine expeditionary 
        unit and a carrier task force, and deployed several hundred United 
        States military personnel to the region to assist with the disaster 
        response, recovery, and delivery of relief supplies;
Whereas, in response to an early appeal by the International Federation of the 
        Red Cross and Red Crescent for $7,500,000, the United States provided 
        $4,000,000 for the distribution of emergency shelter materials and other 
        relief commodities, and provided more than 3,000 metric tons of rice to 
        the United Nations World Food Program for use in the affected region;
Whereas President George W. Bush has established a regional core group with 
        Australia, Canada, India, Japan, and the Netherlands, with the United 
        Nations, to help coordinate relief efforts, and sent a senior delegation 
        of experts, led by Secretary of State Colin Powell and Florida Governor 
        Jeb Bush, to meet with regional leaders and international organizations 
        to assess what additional aid can be provided by the United States;
Whereas on December 31, 2004, President Bush increased the United States pledge 
        to $350,000,000 in aid and stated that the United States' contributions 
        to disaster relief and recovery ``will continue to be revised as the 
        full effects of this terrible tragedy become clearer'';
Whereas pledges of assistance from all international organizations, multilateral 
        development banks, and governments, including the United States, now 
        exceed $2,000,000,000; and
Whereas, on January 3, 2005, the President appointed former Presidents George H. 
        W. Bush and Bill Clinton to lead a nationwide charitable fund-raising 
        effort to elicit greater relief and assistance to the victims of the 
        powerful earthquake and devastating tsunami: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) expresses its heartfelt sympathy for the victims of the 
        powerful earthquake and devastating tsunami that struck cities, 
        towns, and communities throughout Southeast Asia, South Asia, 
        Eastern Africa, and the region on December 26, 2004;
            (2) conveys its most sincere condolences to the families, 
        communities, and governments of the more than 140,000 people 
        that lost their lives in this terrible natural disaster;
            (3) expresses its gratitude and respect for the courageous 
        and committed work of all aid and relief personnel, including 
        United States military personnel, who are saving lives and 
        providing relief assistance in the devastated areas of the 
        region;
            (4) supports President George W. Bush's pledge of 
        $350,000,000 in direct financial assistance, and tens of 
        millions of dollars in additional indirect assistance through 
        the dispatch of United States military aircraft, naval vessels, 
        and personnel, and through the United States Government's 
        substantial voluntary and annual contributions to international 
        organizations and bodies;
            (5) commends the ongoing international relief effort that 
        includes the work of individual countries, numerous 
        international organizations, and various relief and other 
        nongovernmental entities;
            (6) reaffirms that the United States Government is 
        committed to providing relief and assistance in the most 
        effective and efficient means possible, and will continue to 
        assess, anticipate, and provide further assistance as needed in 
        the weeks and months ahead;
            (7) recognizes that the support of the United States 
        Government will be greatly supplemented by private donations 
        and assistance from thousands of United States citizens, 
        charitable organizations, religious groups, and corporations 
        that routinely provide generous and significant amounts of aid, 
        support, and volunteers; and
            (8) fully supports the long-term commitment and engagement 
        of the United States to provide financial aid and other forms 
        of direct and indirect assistance to the countries and peoples 
        of the region impacted by the powerful earthquake and the 
        devastating tsunami.
                                 <all>