[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 13 (Monday, January 23, 1995)]
[House]
[Pages H487-H488]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


  PROVIDING DISASTER ASSISTANCE TO JAPAN IN RESPONSE TO EARTHQUAKE OF 
     JANUARY 1995--MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Combest) laid before the House the 
following message from the President of the United States; which was 
read and, without objection, referred to the Committee on National 
Security and ordered to be printed:

To the Congress of the United States:
  I have directed the Secretary of Defense to provide appropriate 
disaster assistance to the Government of Japan in response to the 
devastating earthquake of January 17, 1995. As required by section 404 
of title 10, United States Code, I am notifying the Congress that the 
United States commence disaster relief operations on January 18, 1995, 
at 11:06 p.m., eastern standard time. To date, the U.S. military has 
provided 37,000 blankets. In addition, the following information is 
provided:
  1. Disaster relief assistance is being provided in response to an 
earthquake affecting Kobe and Osaka, Japan.
  2. Reports indicate at least 3,100 people have died, nearly 900 are 
missing, over 16,000 are injured, and an estimated 240,000 are 
homeless. The destruction of basic physical infrastructure poses a 
threat to the lives of the survivors.
  3. Currently, U.S. military involvement has been limited to 15 U.S. 
Air Force C-130 Hercules sorties. Further requests for U.S. military 
assistance in the form of transportation, supplies, services, and 
equipment are unknown at this time.
  [[Page H488]] 4. Switzerland is providing search and rescue dog 
teams. Assistance by other countries is unknown.
  5. Anticipated duration of disaster assistance activities is unknown.
                                                  William J. Clinton.  
  The White House, January 20, 1995.
  

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