[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 161 (Thursday, December 15, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2555]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           URGING MORE AID TO PAKISTAN FOR EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. KENDRICK B. MEEK

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, December 15, 2005

  Mr. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise to draw the attention of my 
colleagues to the growing tragedy in Kashmir, a northern region of 
Pakistan located along the Indian border. In early October of this 
year, an earthquake devastated that area, killing tens of thousands of 
people and leaving millions more homeless. Each passing day brings new 
heartbreak to that remote region as exposure, illness, and famine 
continue to wreak havoc on the population. These people are desperate, 
and they need our help.
  The earthquake's epicenter hit Muzaffarabad, the regional capital, 
and registered a magnitude of 7.6 on the Richter scale. For comparison, 
the 1989 earthquake that hit San Francisco had a magnitude of 7.1 and 
its epicenter was more than 70 miles away. The Pakistani Government has 
reported that at least 73,000 people have died, 15,000 they believe to 
be school children. The World Bank and the Asian Development Bank 
reported in their assessment after the quake that at least 3.5 million 
people have been dislocated, and that another 1.6 million are without 
adequate food supplies.
  This mountainous region of Pakistan lies at the foothills of the 
great Himalayan Mountains. The area receives as much as 10 feet of snow 
during the winter months, and nighttime temperatures can easily drop to 
50 degrees Fahrenheit below zero. As winter quickly approaches, the 
severe potential for further catastrophe grows for the millions of 
homeless Pakistanis living in makeshift tent communities.
  Mr. Speaker, the earthquake that devastated the capital city and 
surrounding communities disastrously separated brother from sister, 
parent from child, and destroyed the lives and livelihoods of countless 
families. International aid organizations have speculated that the 
tragedy of the quake's aftermath could surpass that of the tsunami that 
struck just months earlier given the region's severe climate, 
remoteness, and the shortfall of international assistance. Without 
immediate action by the international community, thousands more will 
surely perish.
  The World Bank estimates that $5.2 billion will be needed to 
adequately rebuild the region and care for the quake's victims. The 
Bush administration has provided $50 million in emergency assistance 
and pledged another $150 million; however, more is needed. For this 
reason I have written to President Bush requesting that he double his 
request to Congress, and provide $300 million towards Pakistani 
reconstruction.
  The United States and Pakistan have long worked together, and jointly 
we are fighting the ongoing war on terror. In addition, additional aid 
from our country would send a signal to other nations that the United 
States stands ready to help in times of need. Mr. Speaker, I call upon 
my colleagues in the House to strongly support measures that would send 
addition aid to help alleviate the suffering the Pakistani people.

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