[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 190 (Wednesday, December 12, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2551]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    EXPRESSING SYMPATHY TO THE VICTIMS OF CYCLONE SIDR IN SOUTHERN 
                               BANGLADESH

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. STEVEN R. ROTHMAN

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 11, 2007

  Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 842, a 
resolution that I introduced. This legislation expresses sympathy to 
and pledges the support of the House of Representatives and the people 
of the United States to help the victims of Cyclone Sidr in Southern 
Bangladesh.
  Cyclone Sidr struck southern Bangladesh with 155-mile-an-hour winds 
on November 15th. Since then, its impact has been felt by more than 8.7 
million Bangladeshis--more than 3,000 of whom were killed by this 
storm, 1.5 million who have lost their homes and livelihoods, and 
thousands of children who have lost one or more parents, their schools 
and their access to food and water.
  The damage caused by Cyclone Sidr was widespread. In fact, the 
southern districts of Bangladesh were so devastated by the cyclone that 
one relief worker commented that Bagerhat--one of the districts most 
damaged--looked like a ``valley of death'' in the days after the storm. 
Even Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh that is located more than 130 
miles away from the southern coastline, was impacted by the storm--
losing access to power and water for days.
  In addition to the human loss of life and livelihood caused by this 
storm, another great loss was felt by the flora and fauna of 
Bangladesh. During the cyclone, a massive tidal wave hit the 
Sunderbans, the world's biggest mangrove forest and the home of the 
endangered Royal Bengal tiger. While researchers have yet to verify how 
many of these endangered tigers were killed in the storm, the damage 
that resulted from the cyclone has led experts to declare the forest an 
``ecological disaster.''
  However, in the midst of this death and destruction, the U.S. 
government has been doing invaluable work to help the people of 
Bangladesh. That is why this resolution also expresses support for the 
U.S. government's efforts to provide emergency assistance to the people 
of Bangladesh. In fact, I want to single out the work of the U.S. 
Agency for International Development (USAID), which has thus far 
provided the people of Bangladesh with more than $19.5 million in 
emergency food aid and other humanitarian assistance. USAID has also--
in collaboration with the government of Bangladesh--quickly reached 
over 8 million of the most vulnerable people in the wake of this 
disaster to provide assistance and help relieve human suffering.
  Mr. Speaker, while Cyclone Sidr took away thousands of lives in 
Bangladesh, it has brought out the best in both American and 
Bangladeshi aid workers--enabling them to work together to help 
millions of people hurt by this storm and provide them with 
humanitarian assistance. I commend them for their efforts and call on 
my colleagues to join with me in supporting this legislation so that we 
may express the House's strong sympathy and support for the people of 
Bangladesh in their time of crisis.

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