[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 143 (Tuesday, September 25, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H10781-H10782]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
COUNTRIES HIT BY HURRICANES FELIX, DEAN, AND HENRIETTE
Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
agree to the resolution (H. Res. 642) expressing sympathy to and
support for the people and governments of the countries of Central
America, the Caribbean, and Mexico which have suffered from Hurricanes
Felix, Dean, and Henriette and whose complete economic and fatality
toll are still unknown.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows:
H. Res. 642
Whereas on September 4, 2007, Hurricane Felix, a Category 5
storm, hit the Nicaragua-Honduras border, causing over 40,000
people in Nicaragua and Honduras to be evacuated, and killing
at least 100 people;
Whereas just weeks before, Hurricane Dean, a Category 5
storm, hit Mexico and the Caribbean coast, killed 27 persons,
displaced over 260,000 persons, and destroyed over 36,000
homes;
Whereas Hurricane Henriette, a Category 1 storm, made
landfall along the Baja California peninsula of Mexico hours
after Hurricane Felix made landfall, the first time since
1949 that two Atlantic and Pacific hurricanes hit land on the
same day;
Whereas for the first time in the recorded history of
hurricanes, two Category 5 storms, Hurricanes Dean and Felix,
made landfall during the same year;
Whereas Hurricane Henriette, though less powerful than
Hurricane Felix, killed 7 people;
Whereas the homes of at least 5,000 Central Americans were
damaged or destroyed by Hurricanes Felix and Henriette;
Whereas thousands more individuals were unable to be
evacuated and forced to endure these hurricanes in the
shelter of their own homes;
Whereas Hurricane Felix obtained wind speeds of over 160
miles-an-hour, causing widespread destruction with heavy
rains and subsequent mudslides and floods expected to follow;
Whereas Hurricane Felix hit the Miskito Coast, home to the
Miskito Indians, an indigenous population of Central America;
Whereas relief organizations have reported that thousands
of Miskito Indians were stranded on the coast and unable to
travel to safer regions;
Whereas the poorest civilians of Honduras and Guatemala who
live in hillside villages will be most susceptible to
mudslides due to their inland location;
Whereas Honduras and Nicaragua, the poorest countries of
Central America, have economies that rely heavily on limited
agricultural exports, which make both countries extremely
vulnerable to natural disasters;
Whereas major tourist destinations, including Cabo San
Lucas, the Mayan Riviera, Cancun, Acapulco, and a host of
Caribbean islands, were forced to evacuate due to the
hurricanes, thus harming the tourist industry on which these
areas depend; and
Whereas Honduras and Nicaragua were still rebuilding after
the devastating effects of Hurricane Mitch in 1998, which
killed nearly 11,000 people and left more than 8,000 people
missing, destroyed the infrastructures and economies of both
countries, and caused billions of dollars in damage: Now,
therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) expresses its sympathy to and support for the people
and governments of the countries of Central America, the
Caribbean, and Mexico in this time of devastation;
(2) vows its continued friendship and support for our
neighbors in Central America, the Caribbean, and Mexico;
(3) urges all parties to continue their efforts in
evacuating and providing aid to those individuals displaced
by the hurricanes;
(4) recognizes the United States Government's initial
efforts to provide assistance to populations affected by the
hurricanes and urges increased and continued assistance as
the effects of the hurricanes continue to unfold;
(5) encourages public institutions, specialized agencies,
as well as private citizens, to offer their resources; and
[[Page H10782]]
(6) recognizes the efforts of relief organizations,
including the International Federation of Red Cross and Red
Crescent Societies, and the international community, in
aiding the people and governments involved.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Washington (Mr. Smith) and the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-
Lehtinen) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Washington.
General Leave
Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that
all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their
remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution under
consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Washington?
There was no objection.
Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
House Resolution 642 pertains to the hurricanes that have struck
Latin America in recent weeks and expresses sympathy and support for
the people and the governments of the countries of Central America, the
Caribbean, and Mexico, which have suffered from Hurricanes Felix, Dean,
and Henriette and whose complete economic and fatality toll are still
unknown.
As we all saw in the news in recent weeks, these hurricanes have
devastated much of that region. We here in the House of Representatives
want to express our sympathy and support for all the peoples in those
regions that were impacted. We want to thank all those who have
responded to the emergency with aid and various other efforts to help
them and recognize the efforts of the United States in particular to do
that and that we pledge to continue that help in any way we can as they
try to recover from these terrible tragedies.
We in the U.S. know only too well the impacts of hurricanes and want
to be as helpful as we can to our neighbors in helping them get through
this very difficult time.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, Hurricanes Felix, Dean, and Henriette delivered a
devastating toll to the countries of Mexico, the rest of Central
America, and the Caribbean. Between the three hurricanes, nearly 200
lives were lost, hundreds of thousands of people were displaced, and
thousands of homes were destroyed.
I join my colleagues today to express our sincere sympathy and
support for the people who have suffered as a result of these
destructive storms. The resiliency of the people of these nations to
overcome the tremendous power of these catastrophes has been truly
tested. When Hurricane Felix hit on September 4, Honduras and Nicaragua
were still in the midst of rebuilding following the effects of
Hurricane Mitch in 1998. Especially vulnerable to natural disasters due
to their dependence on agricultural exports and the potential for
damaging mudslides, the historic occurrence of two category 5 storms in
1 year had an overwhelming impact for several of the countries in this
region.
I commend the courage that our neighbors in Mexico, the rest of
Central America, and the Caribbean continue to demonstrate in their
efforts to overcome the damage wrought, and I admire the courage and
the contributions made by relief agencies, private citizens, and the
international community to assist in the aftermath of Hurricane Felix,
Hurricane Dean, and Henriette.
Our prayers are with the family and friends of those who were harmed
by the perils of this terrible storm season.
Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back
the balance of my time.
Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
I just want to thank the Committee on Foreign Affairs again, Mr.
Lantos, Ranking Member Ros-Lehtinen, and the entire committee for their
quick response to these issues. I think it is very, very important that
we in the United States, particularly when we are talking about
incidents in Latin America, our neighbors to the south, recognize as
quickly as possible our solidarity with their struggles and their
difficulties and our pledge to support and help them in any way we can.
I also want to thank Ms. Solis, who was the prime sponsor of this
legislation, for her leadership on this issue. Not just this issue but
throughout Latin America on a number of issues on the Foreign Affairs
Committee, she has been a tremendous leader for us. She is supposed to
be here to speak, but I believe she has been caught up in committee.
Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of House Resolution
642, a resolution I authored to express our sympathy and support for
those affected by the recent hurricanes in Central America, Mexico and
the Caribbean. As the only Member of Congress of Central American
descent, I am very concerned about the impact of the hurricanes on this
impoverished region of the world.
For the first time, two Category 5 storms, Hurricanes Dean and Felix,
made landfall during the same year, both striking Central and Latin
America. Earlier this month, Hurricane Felix, a Category 5 storm, made
landfall along the remote border of Nicaragua and Honduras. The storm
killed over 130 people and damaged or destroyed over 19,000 homes,
mostly in Nicaragua. The aftermath has been devastating for thousands
of families.
Hurricane Dean, another Category 5 storm, hit Mexico and the
Caribbean coast and killed 27 people and damaged or destroyed over
50,000 homes. Nicaragua, in Central America, is one of the poorest
countries in the area and was the hardest hit by Hurricane Felix.
The complete economic and human toll of the hurricanes is still
unknown, but we must act quickly to ensure that humanitarian aid
continues to flow to the communities impacted. Supplies, including
food, clean water and rebuilding materials, are essential. Economic aid
for the agriculture economies that those countries rely on is also
badly needed.
House Resolution 642 recognizes the U.S. Government's initial
humanitarian efforts and urges increased and continued assistance as
the effects of the hurricanes unfold. The resolution also recognizes
the efforts of humanitarian relief groups, including the International
Red Cross.
Unfortunately, the United States knows all too well the damage and
destruction that can result from hurricanes and other natural
disasters. The area I represent in Los Angeles is prone to wildfires
and earthquakes, and we are still working to support those affected by
Hurricane Katrina.
Just as Hurricane Katrina showed us how disruptive and damaging
natural disasters can be, they are all the worse for less developed
countries. We all remember the devastation of Hurricane Mitch, which
killed nearly 11,000 people and caused catastrophic mudslides in the
same region nearly 10 years ago. We can and must help our neighbors in
Latin America to recover from these hurricanes.
I urge my colleagues to support House Resolution 642.
Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my
time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Washington (Mr. Smith) that the House suspend the rules
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 642.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. SMITH of Washington. 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.
____________________