[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 37 (Tuesday, April 5, 2005)]
[House]
[Pages H1740-H1742]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
COMMENDING OUTSTANDING EFFORTS OF ARMED FORCES AND EMPLOYEES OF STATE
DEPARTMENT AND USAID IN RESPONSE TO EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI OF DECEMBER
26, 2004
Mr. McCOTTER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to
the resolution (H. Res. 120) commending the outstanding efforts by
Members of the Armed Forces and civilian employees of the Department of
State and the United States Agency for International Development in
response to the earthquake and tsunami of December 26, 2004.
The Clerk read as follows:
H. Res. 120
Whereas on December 26, 2004, an earthquake and tsunami
struck the Indian Ocean basin, killing over 250,000 people in
Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand, Somalia, Burma,
Maldives, Malaysia, Tanzania, Bangladesh, and Kenya;
Whereas the response by members of the Armed Forces and
civilian employees of the Department of State and the United
States Agency for International Development (USAID) was
immediate, invaluable, and courageous;
Whereas civilian employees of the Department of State and
USAID showed great leadership in helping to coordinate relief
efforts
[[Page H1741]]
among donors, United Nations agencies, international
organizations, aid agencies, and host governments;
Whereas civilian employees of the Department of State and
USAID who were on vacation in some of the hardest hit areas
used their expertise and specialized skills to provide
immediate assistance to victims and survivors of the tsunami;
Whereas civilian employees of the Department of State and
USAID set up remote assistance operations in the affected
areas in order to best provide service to United States
citizens and citizens of other countries who were affected by
the tsunami;
Whereas United States consular officers worked around the
clock to locate and identify United States citizens affected
by the tsunami, reconnect them with their loved ones, and
facilitate their return to the United States, despite the
loss of their passports, other identification, and belongings
as a result of the tsunami;
Whereas members of the Armed Forces volunteered their
unique resources to assess the situation and deliver aid when
and where other relief efforts could not;
Whereas the sight of members of the Armed Forces providing
aid to tsunami victims and survivors has provided an
important boost to the image abroad of the United States;
Whereas members of the Armed Forces and civilian employees
of USAID worked together to bring clean water from Navy ships
to victims and survivors in need; and
Whereas the coordinated effort by members of the Armed
Forces and civilian employees of the Department of State and
USAID saved lives, made a crucial contribution to recovery,
and set the stage for a long-term United States commitment to
increased peace and security across South and Southeast Asia:
Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) commends the outstanding efforts in response to the
earthquake and tsunami of December 26, 2004, by members of
the Armed Forces and civilian employees of the Department of
State and the United States Agency for International
Development;
(2) recognizes that the actions of these individuals went
above and beyond the call of duty; and
(3) thanks them for their service.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Michigan (Mr. McCotter) and the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. McCotter).
General Leave
Mr. McCOTTER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their
remarks and include extraneous material on House Resolution 120.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Michigan?
There was no objection.
Mr. McCOTTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume,
and I wish to begin by sending my gratitude to the distinguished
gentleman from Oregon for bringing this resolution before the House.
The December 26, 2004, earthquake off the coast of Indonesia was one
of the largest natural disasters on record, devastating coastal areas
throughout the Indian Ocean area, particularly in Indonesia and Sri
Lanka. The cost in human life now stands at nearly 300,000 dead or
missing, another 1 million displaced, and many more otherwise affected.
The response by U.S. military and civilian personnel was nearly
instantaneous as they moved into action to provide help to those caught
in the tragedy. The logistics, airlift, and other supplies and services
provided by the Department of Defense were, by all accounts,
indispensable. Similarly, the humanitarian relief provided by U.S.
civilian agencies, particularly the United States Agency for
International Development, demonstrated the capacity and compassion of
the American people who tried to aid those who were suffering.
In addition to its speed, the United States Government has been
generous in its response: Nearly $150 million has already been spent
and will be followed by several hundred million more dollars for
ongoing recovery and reconstruction programs. The American people
should also be greatly complimented for their generosity, as private
donations from the United States alone are estimated to be at $1
billion.
This resolution recognizes America's military and civilian first
responders to this terrible disaster and extends the appreciation of
Congress to them for their work in saving lives, helping the survivors,
and displaying our American virtues to our brothers and sisters beyond
our shores.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
I wish to thank my colleague from Michigan for joining me in
cosponsoring this resolution, and the chairman of the Subcommittee on
Asia and the Pacific, the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Leach), for
introducing the resolution with me.
This resolution commends the action of civilian employees of the
State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development and
the members of the Armed Forces for their response to last December's
tsunami tragedy in the Indian Ocean.
Mr. Speaker, it was my privilege to journey with a congressional
delegation to the affected areas immediately in the aftermath of the
disaster. As we viewed the stricken region, we were all impressed by
the quality of the relief effort and the coordination between all
parties. It was truly gratifying to see the governments, particularly
of these four affected countries, stepping forward in some areas where
we had simmering conflicts and military actions. People would put aside
the hostilities to deal with those in need.
I must confess that the pictures of our military, the rapid response,
spoke volumes. I had an opportunity to visit with the leadership,
starting with Admiral Crowder, and other senior officers, down the
chain of command, visiting with men and women on the front lines. It
was clear that they were not just acting out of a professional
dedication and a military ethic, but they were doing it for the
profound and heartfelt desire to help people in need.
While the pictures spoke volumes of the affected people throughout
that region, I think it is important that we also recognize the efforts
of the civilians from the State Department and USAID who do the
tireless work of diplomacy and development that form the backbone of
our foreign policy. They contribute day in and day out with far less
fanfare and too often less of our support.
I was struck by individual cases of Foreign Service officers. Two
examples that had been brought to my attention while I was visiting was
that of Richard Hanrahan and Michael Chadwick, who were junior consular
officers from American embassies who were on vacation in Phuket when
the disaster struck.
{time} 1430
They were there with their own families and had to make sure they
were safe, but then they acted to set up their own remote control
command post in Phuket to ensure the safe return of Americans. They
dealt with traumatized families under the most difficult of
circumstances, being able to borrow cell phones and deal with the
communication difficulties; dealing with really very difficult
situations, going from hospital to hospital, identifying injured
Americans, and reporting on the situation before others had a chance to
arrive.
Having seen and heard how these people behaved in such difficult
circumstances, hour after hour, day after day, using their own
independent action and individual motivation is something that all of
us in Congress can be proud of. Having seen the impact that the
officials from the State Department and USAID, working together with
our military in response to the tsunami, highlights for us all the need
to continue to enhance our diplomatic development and humanitarian
capabilities.
As I heard these stories and met these people, I thought of the work
that former Secretary of State Powell performed when he invested the
prestige of his office, used the leverage of his position and his own
experience to increase the support, ramping up the hiring of a new
class of officials and making it a personal priority to make sure that
the men and women in the front lines of the State Department around the
world had the resources that they needed.
I hope that our new Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, will build
upon his actions and as we in this Congress go through our
appropriations cycle, we support her and our diplomats with the
necessary funding.
We should strengthen the ability of the State Department to respond
to
[[Page H1742]]
these crises, both natural and man-made, in part to minimize the
challenge for our over-stretched military who are not always going to
be able to be available in force to make the contributions that we saw
in the aftermath of the tsunami. Often, frankly, there are tasks better
left to civilian hands.
This disaster was an illustration of the value of the services
provided by many of these agencies. I think of the USAID's outstanding
individuals who were there as part of the briefing, indicating how they
were equipped and ready to go to help fight the problems after the
tsunami, and deal with the aftermath of poverty and environmental
degradation. Hopefully, their work will make these communities less
vulnerable in the future, and we can invest in disaster mitigation and
planning to reduce the loss of life the next time the inevitable
disaster strikes.
It is the selfless commitment of these individuals in the military,
the State Department, and USAID that is making a difference. At a time
when our prestige, particularly in this region, as a Nation is at an
all-time low, according to independent opinion surveys, the
contributions in the aftermath of the tsunami is making a difference,
particularly with Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim country. Two-
thirds of the Indonesians are now more favorable to the United States
because of what they saw, Americans responding and dealing with the
aftermath of this disaster.
We should continue to invest in diplomacy and development along with
our national defense, extend the kindness and compassion demonstrated
by American people into a full-time commitment to those who suffer
around the world. These efforts will pay dividends not just for the
people in need but for our security as well.
The civilian employees of the State Department, the USAID, and our
men and women in uniform went beyond the call of duty in responding to
the tsunami. Through this demonstration of their professionalism,
skill, creativity and commitment, they saved lives and took important
steps for peace and security. I strongly urge the adoption of this
resolution.
Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution
and I would like to give a special thanks to the sponsor of this
resolution, my good friend from Oregon, Mr. Blumenauer.
Like several of my colleagues on the House International Relations
Committee, I had the opportunity to meet with many of the men and women
of our Armed Forces, the Department of State and the United States
Agency for International Development operating in the tsunami affected
region.
My trip to the region began in Singapore, where I met with members of
our Armed Forces who were using the Singapore Air Force base as a
staging ground for missions into the hardest hit area of the tsunami,
Banda Aceh, Indonesia.
They were running operations out of the base 24 hours a day thanks to
the support of our Singaporean friends.
While I was at the base I met with a Marine who was injured just days
before in a helicopter crash but he remained in high spirits and was
eager to get back out to help the survivors of the tsunami.
Singapore has been such a strong ally and a solid supporter of our
relief mission; I want to publicly thank the government and people of
Singapore for their role in the assistance to the tsunami affected
region.
After Singapore, I traveled to Sri Lanka and went south of Colombo to
Galle, a tourist town, which was ravaged by the tsunami.
During my day in Galle, I visited a maternity hospital that had been
badly damaged and is now unusable, but I met with a doctor who told me
about a c-section he was performing when the wave hit the hospital.
This doctor was able to finish the surgery by flashlight and saved
the mother and child. These are some of the stories we may never have
heard.
As I traveled on the road back to Colombo stretching the length of
the shore I saw more affects of the Tsunami, train tracks were turned
into corkscrews and buildings were totally destroyed.
But within all this rubble was American Marines and USAID Disaster
Assistance Relief Teams working hand in hand with the Sri Lankan's
clearing destroyed homes.
I asked one of the marines about his daily activities and he told me
what brought him the most joy was playing with the local children who
had lost their families and homes and that just making them smile and
keeping them active brought him so much fulfillment.
As those children grow up they will always remember that marine who
brought a little sense of normalcy back to their lives.
Also, during a meeting with the U.S. Embassy in Colombo, I met the
director of the U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance, OFDA, covering South
Asia, which with the help of this committee; I was able to establish
this branch.
I was caught off guard when William Berger, the director of the OFDA,
thanked me for establishing this office and told me that the funding I
was able to secure has saved thousands of lives and will continue to.
It's a real testament to the effect our committee has on the lives of
those living so far away.
I urge all of my colleagues to support this important resolution.
Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 120,
commending members of the Armed Forces and civilian employees of the
Department of State and the United States Agency for International
Development in response to the earthquake and tsunami of December 26,
2004.
In particular, I want to share with my colleagues how a professor
from the Naval Postgraduate School, located in my district, assisted
victims of the tsunami in Thailand. As coincidence would have it,
Professor Brian Stackler was in Bangkok shortly after the tsunami when
he realized that a field experiment he was planning to conduct in six
months could save disaster victims' lives. Within days, he and his team
were able to set up a wireless communications network near Phuket, and
weeks later a broadband wireless Internet connection for more than
4,000 refugees, volunteer workers, international DNA testing and
response teams, NGOs, and the media. As you can imagine, these
emergency communication services were overwhelmed, so Professor
Stackler and his team established voice-over Internet connections
allowing computer users to speak over their microphones.
The impact of this technology was profound. It speeded up
identification of victims and facilitated communication between victims
and the outside world.
Professor Brian Stackler and his team are unsung heroes to thousands
of victims of the tsunami and richly deserve the recognition provided
by H. Res. 120.
Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, today in the United States
House of Representatives, we commend the men and women of our Armed
Forces and civilian employees of the Department of State and the United
States Agency for International Development for their services and
actions in response to the earthquake and tsunami of December 26, 2004.
In particular, I would like to recognize the active-duty and reserve
servicemembers of the 62nd and 446th Airlift Wings stationed in my
District at McChord Air Force Base. The Airmen who deployed filled many
different roles from aircrew members to maintainers and aerial port
personnel and security forces. McChord's aircrews flew badly needed
supplies to countries throughout the region. The C-17's unique ability
to land in the most austere conditions allowed it to deliver aid where
other aircraft couldn't. In particular, I would like to commend Colonel
Wayne Schatz, the 62nd Airlift Wing commander, who deployed to Hickam
Air Force Base, Hawaii, and became the Deputy Director of Mobility
Forces for the entire operation. While there, he helped marshall the
massive humanitarian airlift mission, directing hundreds of aircraft
that delivered nearly 3,000 tons of relief supplies to countries most
in need of aid.
All told, Team McChord's contributions to the relief efforts
included: 1.8 million pounds of relief supplies delivered; 660+
passengers moved; and 48 relief missions flown.
Mr. Speaker, I'm proud of the men and women in my District who
participated in this noble operation.
Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. McCOTTER. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Culberson). The question is on the
motion offered by the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. McCotter) that the
House suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 120.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of
those present have voted in the affirmative.
Mr. McCOTTER. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.
____________________