[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 842 Engrossed in House (EH)]


                In the House of Representatives, U. S.,

                                                     December 11, 2007.
Whereas on November 15, 2007, Cylcone Sidr hit the coast of southern Bangladesh 
        with 155 mile-an-hour winds that smashed tens of thousands of homes, 
        damaged roads and buildings, and caused a 15-foot tidal surge that 
        ruined thousands of hectares of crops;
Whereas early reports have branded the destruction from Cyclone Sidr as the 
        worst in Bangladesh in 16 years;
Whereas the resulting damage from the cyclone affected more than 8,000,000 
        people through loss of their homes and livelihoods;
Whereas over half of the affected internally displaced population are children;
Whereas Bangladesh's Disaster Ministry estimates that the cyclone damaged or 
        destroyed 1,500,000 houses;
Whereas the death toll from the cyclone stands at more than 3,000;
Whereas as the 4 districts in southern Bangladesh that were most drastically 
        affected by the cyclone are Patuakhali, Bagerhat, Barisal, and Pirojpur;
Whereas one relief worker commented that Bagerhat looked like a ``valley of 
        death'' in the days after the storm;
Whereas an entire island in Barisal, another district of southern Bangladesh, 
        was submerged under at least 6 feet of water and houses were blown away 
        by winds;
Whereas the capital, Dhaka, which is located over 130 miles away from the 
        devastated southern coastline, was also impacted by the storm, losing 
        access to power and water for days;
Whereas a massive tidal wave that was caused by Cyclone Sidr hit the Sunderbans, 
        the world's biggest mangrove forest that is home to the endangered Royal 
        Bengal tiger, leaving a wake of death and destruction that have caused 
        experts to declare the forest an ``ecological disaster'';
Whereas officials at the United Nations World Food Program have appealed for 
        international aid to help save lives in Bangladesh, noting that food 
        supplies have been severely disrupted by the cyclone; and
Whereas, due to the limited access to water supply and sanitation facilities 
        that millions of Bangladeshis will face, health officials have warned 
        against the possibility of cholera, dysentery, and other waterborne 
        diseases: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) expresses its heartfelt sympathy for the victims of Cyclone 
        Sidr, which has affected southern Bangladesh;
            (2) conveys its sincere support to the people of Bangladesh;
            (3) supports the United States Government's efforts to immediately 
        make available all appropriate assistance requested by Bangladeshi 
        authorities; and
            (4) reaffirms its commitment to provide relief aid to the victims as 
        the effects of the cyclone continue to unfold.
            Attest:

                                                                          Clerk.