[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 189 (Tuesday, December 11, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H15230-H15231]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1245
    EXPRESSING SYMPATHY TO THE VICTIMS OF CYCLONE SIDR IN SOUTHERN 
                               BANGLADESH

  Mr. MEEKS of New York. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
agree to the resolution (H. Res. 842) expressing sympathy to and 
pledging the support of the House of Representatives and the people of 
the United States for the victims of Cyclone Sidr in southern 
Bangladesh, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 842

       Whereas on November 15, 2007, Cylcone Sidr hit the coast of 
     southern Bangladesh with 155 mile-an-hour winds that smashed 
     tens of thousands of homes, damaged roads and buildings, and 
     caused a 15-foot tidal surge that ruined thousands of 
     hectares of crops;
       Whereas early reports have branded the destruction from 
     Cyclone Sidr as the worst in Bangladesh in 16 years;
       Whereas the resulting damage from the cyclone affected more 
     than 8,000,000 people through loss of their homes and 
     livelihoods;
       Whereas over half of the affected internally displaced 
     population are children;
       Whereas Bangladesh's Disaster Ministry estimates that the 
     cyclone damaged or destroyed 1,500,000 houses;
       Whereas the death toll from the cyclone stands at more than 
     3,000;
       Whereas as the 4 districts in southern Bangladesh that were 
     most drastically affected by the cyclone are Patuakhali, 
     Bagerhat, Barisal, and Pirojpur;
       Whereas one relief worker commented that Bagerhat looked 
     like a ``valley of death'' in the days after the storm;
       Whereas an entire island in Barisal, another district of 
     southern Bangladesh, was submerged under at least 6 feet of 
     water and houses were blown away by winds;
       Whereas the capital, Dhaka, which is located over 130 miles 
     away from the devastated southern coastline, was also 
     impacted by the storm, losing access to power and water for 
     days;
       Whereas a massive tidal wave that was caused by Cyclone 
     Sidr hit the Sunderbans, the world's biggest mangrove forest 
     that is home to the endangered Royal Bengal tiger, leaving a 
     wake of death and destruction that have caused experts to 
     declare the forest an ``ecological disaster'';
       Whereas officials at the United Nations World Food Program 
     have appealed for international aid to help save lives in 
     Bangladesh, noting that food supplies have been severely 
     disrupted by the cyclone; and
       Whereas, due to the limited access to water supply and 
     sanitation facilities that millions of Bangladeshis will 
     face, health officials have warned against the possibility of 
     cholera, dysentery, and other waterborne diseases: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) expresses its heartfelt sympathy for the victims of 
     Cyclone Sidr, which has affected southern Bangladesh;
       (2) conveys its sincere support to the people of 
     Bangladesh;
       (3) supports the United States Government's efforts to 
     immediately make available all appropriate assistance 
     requested by Bangladeshi authorities; and
       (4) reaffirms its commitment to provide relief aid to the 
     victims as the effects of the cyclone continue to unfold.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Meeks) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe) each will 
control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York.


                             General Leave

  Mr. MEEKS of New York. 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 New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. MEEKS of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this 
bill, and I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Let me first thank my good friend and colleague, Mr. Rothman from New 
Jersey, for introducing this timely resolution. More than 2 years ago, 
Hurricane Katrina struck our gulf coast with a fury rarely seen. 
Katrina caused severe loss of life and property to the citizens of 
Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, and our Nation continues to deal 
with the enormous human and financial consequences of this devastating 
storm.
  Unfortunately, halfway across the world, our friends in Bangladesh 
are undergoing their own nightmare scenario in the aftermath of Cyclone 
Sidr. Cyclone Sidr struck on November 15, with 155-mile-an-hour winds 
and 15-foot tidal waves. The destruction that this cyclone left in its 
wake is the worst Bangladesh has seen in 16 years, and that is not a 
trivial statement, considering that Bangladesh is a nation that 
suffered through horrific droughts, floods and other natural disasters 
on almost an annual basis.
  The numbers from Cyclone Sidr are astounding: 3,300 dead, over 800 
missing, and 1.5 million houses damaged or destroyed. All told, at 
least 8.7 million people have been affected, and the economic and 
social impacts will undoubtedly loom large for years to come.
  Just as the world offered their help to us during Hurricane Katrina, 
Bangladesh needs immediate support from the international community. In 
that regard, I am proud of the way that the United States Government 
has responded to this disaster. The U.S. Agency for International 
Development has already dispatched millions in emergency assistance, 
and our United States Navy is busy airlifting necessary food and 
supplies to those that have been affected.
  This resolution supports our efforts and reaffirms our commitment to 
our friends in Bangladesh. I strongly support this resolution and 
encourage my colleagues to do the same.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 842, as amended, expressing 
sympathy and support for the victims of Cyclone Sidr in southern 
Bangladesh. At the outset, I would like to commend the gentleman from 
New Jersey (Mr. Rothman) for introducing this timely measure, and also 
extend my appreciation to Chairman Lantos, as well as Ranking Member 
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, for helping to expedite its consideration before 
the House today.

[[Page H15231]]

  As my colleagues may know, on the 15th of November a powerful, 
category five-equivalent tropical cyclone struck low-lying areas of 
Bangladesh from the Bay of Bengal. Mr. Speaker, in the West we call 
these tropical storms hurricanes, and in the Far East they call them 
cyclones. Be that as it may, they both have destructive power. Being 
from southeast Texas on the gulf coast, we call the area ``hurricane 
alley,'' and we are not unfamiliar with hurricanes. Even this year, 
Hurricane Humberto, and Hurricane Rita 2 years ago hit my area of the 
State of Texas.
  So, the effects of hurricanes and cyclones are devastating. The 
effects of Cyclone Sidr has been extremely devastating to the people. 
Some 6.8 million people have been affected by this disaster, 3,000 
people have died, 1,000 people are unaccounted for, and approximately 
15,000 people have been injured. In the immediate aftermath of this 
storm, President and Mrs. Bush offered condolences to the victims, 
especially those who lost loved ones, people who lost homes and 
livelihoods in this tragedy.
  The United States immediately conveyed to the authorities in Dhaka 
its willingness to assist in responding to this natural disaster. The 
United States Agency for International Development provided more than 
$19 million in emergency funds to support relief and early recovery 
activities, including shelter and water, sanitation, hygiene programs 
and emergency food assistance. The United States Department of Defense 
has also provided invaluable assistance, with 2,400 United States 
marines and sailors helping the Bangladesh Government provide clean 
water, medical aid, food, and other relief supplies to the victims of 
this cyclone. Indeed, more than 162,000 pounds of relief supplies have 
been delivered to Bangladesh by USS Kearsarge and the 22nd Marine 
Expeditionary Unit as of early this month.
  Mr. Speaker, Bangladesh and the United States have been close friends 
since 1971. Our hearts go out to those who have suffered so grievously 
during this disaster, and on behalf of the American people it is 
fitting that we reiterate our commitment to assist the people of 
Bangladesh as they recover from this devastating storm, and I urge 
support of this resolution.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker. I rise today in strong support 
of H. Res. 842, expressing sympathy to and pledging the support of the 
House of Representatives and the people of the United States for the 
victims of Cyclone Sidr in southern Bangladesh, introduced by my 
distinguished colleague from New Jersey, Representative Rothman. This 
important resolution reaffirms the commitment of the United States to 
the people of Bangladesh in the wake of the devastation of Cyclone 
Sidr.
  Mr. Speaker, Bangladesh has long been a valued ally of the United 
States; and a key Muslim democracy in a region where adherence to 
democratic principles is at a premium. Recently, I met with Mr. Don 
Haque, nephew of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia. After listening to 
his concerns and insights, it is my hope that Bangladesh will move 
swiftly toward regaining its status as a thriving, emerging democracy 
and set an example for its neighbors and the rest of the world.
  The region has been undergoing serious political and economic 
changes, with several nations undergoing significant political 
upheaval. Key among these is Bangladesh, where emergency rule was 
declared by President Iajuddin Ahmed following opposition protests 
during the run-up to the January 2007 elections. This military-backed 
caretaker government, currently headed by Fakhruddin Ahmed, is expected 
to continue to hold power through 2008, though some observers have 
estimated that elections will not actually take place until 2009 or 
later.

  It is my sincere hope that the military-backed caretaker government 
currently in power in Bangladesh will promptly lift the state of 
emergency and move expeditiously toward holding free and fair 
elections. It would also be my expectation that the caretaker 
government will abide by internationally recognized standards of human 
rights and due process in its activities. I am personally concerned by 
reported events in Bangladesh, including the ban on political and union 
activity; the restrictions on free movement, free assembly, free 
association, free speech and a free press; and the denial of bail and 
other due process rights to more than 200,000 jailed individuals, 
according to some accounts.
  In this key period of political change, one that will hopefully 
ensure a more free and fair democratic Bangladesh, the nation has been 
hit by an unthinkable natural disaster that has affected all ways of 
life. On November 15, the southern coast of Bangladesh was struck by 
Cyclone Sidr with raging winds of 155 miles-per-hour smashing tens of 
thousands of homes, damaging roads and buildings, and causing a 16 foot 
tidal surge that has destroyed thousands of hectares of crops.
  This natural disaster is estimated to have affected over 4 million 
people thus far, with millions being evacuated from their homes due to 
loss or damage. The Bangladesh Disaster Ministry now estimates that 
some 750,000 homes were damaged or destroyed in the aftermath of 
Cyclone Sidr. As a Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and 
Chair of the Congressional Children's Caucus, I am especially concerned 
by the internal displacement of millions of Bangladeshis, over 400,000 
of whom are children below the age of five. The catastrophic death toll 
has already reached 3,500, though the Bangladesh Red Crescent has 
warned that the number of deaths may climb as high as 10,000 in what is 
being called the greatest destruction from a cyclone in Bangladesh in 
16 years.
  It appears we are only just beginning to see the effects of this 
great human catastrophe. While Cyclone Sidr is responsible for 
widespread destruction, the five provinces of Patuakhali, Barguna, 
Bagerhat, Barisal, and Pirojpur that sit on the southern coast of 
Bangladesh were the most drastically affected. The nation's capital, 
Dhaka, which is located over 130 miles away from the country's 
devastated coastline, still lost access to power and food for days 
following the storm. Hundreds of thousands of people in southern 
Bangladesh's remote areas have been cut off from relief operations 
leading to massive suffering and starvation due to the current lack of 
access to drinking water and medicines. One relief worker in Bagerhat 
went so far as to say that the region looked like a ``valley of 
death.'' Unfortunately, the worst may be yet to come. Health officials 
have begun to warn against the serious threat posed by cholera, 
dysentery, and other waterborne diseases as a result of the limited 
access to water supplies and sanitation facilities that millions of 
Bangladeshis will face.
  As a member of the international community, the United States must 
offer its support and assistance to a nation that has been devastated 
by such a tremendous natural disaster. The United Nations World Food 
Program has appealed to the international community to provide aid to 
the peoples of Bangladesh, noting that food supplies have been severely 
disrupted by the cyclone leading to an increased and very real threat 
of famine. This resolution is significant because it reaffirms the 
commitment of the United States to provide relief aid to the victims of 
Cyclone Sidr as its effects continue to unfold. Furthermore, this 
resolution calls upon the United States to immediately make available 
any and all appropriate assistance that has been requested by the 
Bangladeshi authorities.
  I believe that it is imperative that the United States government 
express its heartfelt sympathy and support to the people of Bangladesh 
in the wake of this terrific disaster, which is why I am a proud 
cosponsor of this legislation. I urge my colleagues to join me in 
strongly supporting this legislation, and to call for still more to be 
done.
  Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, I have no other speakers, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. MEEKS of New York. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for 
time, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Meeks) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 842, as amended.
  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. MEEKS of New York. 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.

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