[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 569 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]







110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 569

Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the earthquake that struck 
  Sichuan Province of the People's Republic of China on May 12, 2008.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 19, 2008

   Mrs. Boxer (for herself, Ms. Murkowski, Mr. Biden, Mr. Lugar, Mr. 
Casey, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Feingold, Mr. Kerry, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Lieberman, 
 Mr. Dodd, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Durbin, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Isakson, Mrs. 
  Clinton, Mr. Sanders, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Leahy, Mr. Obama, and Mr. 
Menendez) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and 
                               agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the earthquake that struck 
  Sichuan Province of the People's Republic of China on May 12, 2008.

Whereas, on May 12, 2008, a powerful earthquake measuring 7.9 on the Richter 
        Scale struck Wenchuan County in the Sichuan Province of the People's 
        Republic of China, leaving at least 34,000 people dead, 245,000 people 
        injured, and an estimated 5,000,000 people homeless;
Whereas authorities of the Government of the People's Republic of China report 
        that approximately 9,500 people remain buried in Sichuan Province and 
        another 29,000 people remain missing;
Whereas authorities of the Government of the People's Republic of China report 
        that the final death toll is expected to exceed 50,000;
Whereas authorities of the Government of the People's Republic of China also 
        report that as many as 4,700,000 homes were destroyed in Sichuan, Gansu, 
        and Shaanxi Provinces and nearly 80 percent of the buildings collapsed 
        in Beichuan County;
Whereas the sheer devastation caused by the earthquake and inclement weather has 
        made rescue efforts exceptionally difficult, particularly in the areas 
        hardest hit by the earthquake;
Whereas authorities of the Government of the People's Republic of China report 
        that 158 relief workers were killed in landslides while working to 
        repair roads in the areas most devastated by the earthquake;
Whereas the Seismological Bureau of the People's Republic of China reports that 
        the earthquake has affected more than half of China's provinces and 
        municipalities;
Whereas authorities of the Government of the People's Republic of China report 
        that more than 2,000 aftershocks have occurred in the aftermath of the 
        earthquake, some greater than a magnitude of 6.0 on the Richter Scale;
Whereas authorities of the Government of the People's Republic of China also 
        report that 6,898 schoolrooms collapsed in Sichuan Province, trapping 
        and killing hundreds of young students and their teachers;
Whereas the earthquake of May 12, 2008, was China's deadliest natural disaster 
        since 1976, when hundreds of thousands of people were killed by an 
        earthquake that struck the city of Tangshan;
Whereas, on May 12, 2008, President George W. Bush said that the United States 
        ``stands ready to help in any way possible''; and
Whereas the Prime Minister of China, Wen Jiabao, said on May 13, 2008, that 
        ``[t]he death toll and damage are more serious than we expected and we 
        need more people here to help'': Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) mourns the horrific loss of life and terrible human 
        suffering caused by the earthquake in the People's Republic of 
        China on May 12, 2008;
            (2) expresses its deep condolences to the people of the 
        People's Republic of China and to all those affected by this 
        enormous tragedy;
            (3) expresses its profound sorrow for the families of all 
        who lost loved ones, including those who suffered the 
        heartbreaking loss of having their children trapped in schools 
        that collapsed;
            (4) calls on the President to respond to any requests for 
        humanitarian assistance made by the Government of the People's 
        Republic of China; and
            (5) stands ready to support the provision of additional 
        resources, as necessary, to assist those impacted by the 
        earthquake.
                                 <all>