[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 75 (Wednesday, May 7, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3906-S3907]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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     SENATE RESOLUTION 554--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE ON 
         HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TO BURMA AFTER CYCLONE NARGIS

  Mr. KERRY (for himself, Mr. Lugar, Mr. Biden, Mr. McConnell, Mrs. 
Feinstein, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Dodd, Mr. Obama, Mr. Webb, Ms. Murkowski, 
Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Feingold, Mr. Lieberman, Mr. Hagel, Mrs. 
Boxer, Mrs. clinton, Mrs. Dole, Mr. McCain, and Mr. Coleman) submitted 
the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 554

       Whereas, on May 3, 2008, Cyclone Nargis devastated Burma, 
     leaving an estimated 22,500 people dead, 41,000 missing, and 
     1,000,000 homeless;
       Whereas, on May 5, 2008, the United States embassy in Burma 
     issued a disaster declaration authorizing $250,000 in 
     immediate humanitarian assistance to the people of Burma;
       Whereas, on May 5, 2008, First Lady Laura Bush stated that 
     the United States will ``work with the U.N. and other 
     international nongovernmental organizations to provide water, 
     sanitation, food, and shelter. More assistance will be 
     forthcoming'';
       Whereas, on May 5, 2008, Department of State Deputy 
     Spokesman Tom Casey stated that the United States has ``a 
     disaster assistance response team that is standing by and 
     ready to go in to Burma to help try to assess need there'';
       Whereas, on May 6, 2008, President George W. Bush said, 
     ``The United States has made an initial aid contribution, but 
     we want to do a lot more. We're prepared to move U.S. Navy 
     assets to help find those who've lost their lives, to help 
     find the missing, to help stabilize the situation. But in 
     order to do so, the military junta must allow our disaster 
     assessment teams into the country.'';

[[Page S3907]]

       Whereas, on May 6, 2008, President Bush pledged $3,000,000 
     in emergency assistance to victims of Cyclone Nargis, and 
     stated that allowing the disaster assistance response team to 
     enter the country would facilitate additional support;
       Whereas the European Union has pledged to deliver 
     $3,000,000 in initial emergency disaster assistance to Burma;
       Whereas according to the United Nations Country Team in 
     Burma, the average household in Burma is forced to spend 
     almost \3/4\ of its budget on food and 1 in 3 children under 
     the age of 5 is suffering from malnutrition;
       Whereas the prevalence of tuberculosis in Burma is among 
     the highest in the world, with nearly 97,000 new cases 
     detected annually, malaria is the leading cause of mortality 
     in Burma, with 70 percent of the population living in areas 
     at risk, at least 37,000 died of HIV/AIDS in Burma in 2005 
     and over 600,000 are currently infected, and the World Health 
     Organization has ranked the health sector of Burma as 190th 
     out of 191 countries;
       Whereas the failure of Burma's ruling State Peace and 
     Development Council to meet the most basic humanitarian needs 
     of the people of Burma has caused enormous suffering inside 
     Burma and driven hundreds of thousands of Burmese citizens to 
     seek refuge in neighboring countries, creating a threat to 
     regional peace and stability; and
       Whereas, in the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis, the State 
     Peace and Development Council continues to restrict the 
     access and freedom of movement of international 
     nongovernmental organizations to deliver humanitarian 
     assistance throughout Burma: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That it is the Sense of the Senate--
       (1) to express deep sympathy to and strong support for the 
     people of Burma, who have endured tremendous hardships over 
     many years and face especially dire humanitarian conditions 
     in the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis;
       (2) to support the decision of President Bush to provide 
     immediate emergency humanitarian assistance to Burma through 
     nongovernmental organizations that are not affiliated with 
     the Burmese regime or its officials and can effectively 
     provide such assistance directly to the people of Burma;
       (3) to stand ready to appropriate additional funds, beyond 
     existing emergency international disaster assistance 
     resources, if necessary to help address dire humanitarian 
     conditions throughout Burma in the aftermath of Cyclone 
     Nargis and beyond;
       (4) to call upon the State Peace and Development Council to 
     immediately lift restrictions on delivery of humanitarian 
     assistance and allow free and unfettered access to the United 
     States Government's disaster assistance response team and any 
     organizations that legitimately provide humanitarian 
     assistance; and
       (5) that the United States Agency for International 
     Development should conduct a comprehensive evaluation of 
     which organizations are capable of providing humanitarian 
     assistance directly to the people throughout Burma without 
     interference by the State Peace and Development Council.

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