[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 453 Introduced in House (IH)]

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114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 453

 Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the United 
 States Government should provide additional relief and assistance to 
                        the island of Dominica.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 30, 2015

   Ms. Plaskett (for herself, Ms. Clarke of New York, Ms. Wilson of 
Florida, Mr. Engel, and Ms. Maxine Waters of California) submitted the 
 following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign 
                                Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the United 
 States Government should provide additional relief and assistance to 
                        the island of Dominica.

Whereas Tropical Storm Erika brought calamitous flooding, damage, and wreaked 
        havoc to the island of Dominica on August 27, 2015;
Whereas Tropical Storm Erika sustained winds of 50 mph and gusts up to 65 mph 
        and dumped over 15 inches (38 centimeters) of rain on the mountainous 
        island;
Whereas the population of the island of Dominica is about 72,000 people;
Whereas during a televised address, Dominica Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit 
        said Hurricane Erika set the nation's developmental progress back 20 
        years, as hundreds of homes and multiple other structures were 
        destroyed;
Whereas Tropical Storm Erika whipped the island of Dominica for more than 5 
        hours on Wednesday, bringing strong winds and a torrent of intense rain 
        that provoked flooding and landslides;
Whereas Tropical Storm Erika has caused Dominica to be set back 20 years in the 
        damage inflicted by the storm;
Whereas Tropical Storm Erika washed away bridges and numerous roads and left 
        several communities cut off from the rest of the island;
Whereas Tropical Storm Erika has left infrastructural damages estimated at 
        $612,700,000 and 371 houses have been destroyed in a population of 
        approximately 72,000 people;
Whereas according to the Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica, clean-up is 
        currently estimated at $12,000,000;
Whereas cost of reconstruction of tourism infrastructure is estimated at $19 
        million and the reconstruction of 300 homes, as well as bridges, miles 
        of roadway and water systems;
Whereas with a total reconstruction bill estimated at $300 million and already 
        carrying a debt burden amounting to 80 percent of GDP;
Whereas in response, USAID's Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/
        OFDA) provided an initial $50,000 through USAID to the Dominica Red 
        Cross Society to support the local procurement of relief items;
Whereas since then and as of September 18, it is estimated that a total of 
        $165,000 of United States Government disaster relief assistance has been 
        targeted to Dominica for additional household staples, relocation 
        assistance, and other aid; and
Whereas assessment teams from the USAID/OFDA are still working on the ground 
        with the government and the Dominica Red Cross to assess and address 
        additional needs as they surface: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that 
the United States Government should provide additional relief and 
assistance to the island of Dominica.
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