[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 100 (Wednesday, June 30, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H5278-H5279]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  2040
                             GENERAL LEAVE

  Ms. WATSON. 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 
gentlewoman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution 
and yield myself such time as I may consume.
  On May 29, 2010, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador experienced 
devastating floods and mudslides caused by Tropical Storm Agatha. 
Agatha has left 174 dead and directly affected more than 62,000 
families in Guatemala, killed 22 and forced nearly 8,000 into shelters 
in Honduras, and left 11 dead and 12,000 in shelters in El Salvador. 
And to make matters worse, over 2,000 Guatemalans were displaced with 
little forewarning following the eruption of the Pacaya volcano on May 
27, 2010.
  The combination of the tropical storm and the volcano has devastated 
Guatemala's landscape leaving behind sinkholes and mudslides across the 
country. In addition, due to recent droughts, erratic rainfalls and 
high food prices, a sharp drop in remittances, Guatemala now faces 
severe food insecurity, and this is expected to increase in the wake of 
Tropical Storm Agatha.
  Guatemalan officials are estimating that damages will surpass $475 
million. In Honduras, the loss in the agriculture sector could be close 
to $18.5 million. In all three countries, critical infrastructure 
relating to water and sanitation has been destroyed.
  The United States has provided relief for the victims of Tropical 
Storm Agatha by deploying United States Southern Command support 
helicopters and frigates to assist with the transport of food, water, 
and emergency supplies. Humanitarian aid agencies in the United States 
and countries and NGOs around the world are mobilizing to provide much-
needed assistance to the relief and the recovery efforts.
  The resolution before us recognizes the assistance efforts already 
under way and urges the Secretary of State in coordination with the 
administrator of the United States Agency for International 
Development, or USAID, to continue to develop a strategic plan with the 
goal of mitigating the effects of the recent natural disasters that 
have devastated these three countries. Guatemala, Honduras, and El 
Salvador face a major challenge as they recover and rebuild. They 
deserve our continued support.
  For these reasons, Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this 
important resolution.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I rise today as a proud cosponsor of House Resolution 1462, which 
expresses the support of the United States to the people of Guatemala, 
Honduras, and El Salvador in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Agatha.
  Having already declared a state of emergency following a volcano 
eruption just 50 miles from Guatemala City days earlier, Guatemala was 
hit by Tropical Storm Agatha on May 29, 2010. Floods and mudslides 
devastated parts of Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador as a result of 
the storm. Hundreds of lives were lost, hundreds of thousands of 
survivors left in shelters.
  Immediately following this disaster, as we always do, the United 
States, as a government and as a people, was standing by to lend a 
helping hand. The United States Southern Command, SOUTHCOM, located in 
my home district in Miami, Florida, deployed four helicopters from Soto 
Cano Air Base in Honduras to conduct aerial assessments and transport 
emergency relief supplies to areas impacted by the disaster.
  The ability of SOUTHCOM to utilize resources from the Soto Cano Air 
Base demonstrates the important role that Honduras plays in enabling 
the United States to provide support for security and disaster 
purposes. SOUTHCOM also sent personnel from Miami to join a 
humanitarian assessment team on the ground in Guatemala. And I was 
proud to see Royal Caribbean Cruises, also of Miami, work with the Pan 
American Development Foundation to help transport food to the tens of 
thousands of survivors in the days following the storm.
  The growing security challenges facing Guatemala, Honduras, and El 
Salvador as a result of narcotraffickers and vicious gangs have only 
been complicated by this recent natural disaster. It will be critical 
for the United States to work with responsible democratic nations in 
the region to ensure that this does not become a window of opportunity 
for criminals.
  The success we have seen in Colombia and the ongoing efforts being 
taken in Mexico against the drug cartels have created an unfortunate 
sandwich effect in Central America. But only through a united 
hemispheric-wide approach that is based on a shared commitment to 
democracy, to security, to prosperity, will we achieve success against 
the narcotraffickers and organized crime.
  Again, Mr. Speaker, I would like to extend my heartfelt condolences 
to the families and friends of those who suffered as a result of 
Tropical Storm Agatha. As the brave people of Guatemala, Honduras, and 
El Salvador continue to recover from this tragic disaster, please know 
that we have you in our hearts and in our prayers.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. 
Res. 1462, support for the people of Guatemala, Honduras and El 
Salvador as they persevere through the aftermath of Tropical Storm 
Agatha which swept across Central America causing deadly floods and 
mudslides. I would like to thank Mr. Mack for introducing this 
resolution underlining our heartfelt support for our North American 
neighbors in their time of desperate need.
  Mr. Speaker, the countries of Central America have suffered 
devastating damage and loss of life at the hands of Mother Nature. 
Tropical Storm Agatha has left over 200 dead and over 95,000 in 
shelters, most of them in Guatemala. The powerful storm has inflicted 
over $475,000,000 in damages throughout the region, destroying critical 
water and sanitation infrastructure. Combined with recent droughts, 
high food prices and a dramatic drop in remittances from the United 
States, Guatemala in particular has suffered severe food insecurity 
that will likely increase due to the effects of the storm.
  I join my fellow members in expressing our most heartfelt condolences 
for the loss of life and suffering the Guatemalan, Honduran and 
Salvadoran people have endured in the wake of the storm. We mourn for 
those who are no longer with us, and extend our deepest sympathies to 
those they have left behind, in many cases without food or shelter. It 
is a tragedy for anyone to lose their home, their father, their mother, 
their children, their friends. We will do everything we can to help 
them recover from this disaster.
  But we also commend the people of these ravaged countries for their 
bravery, and for standing tall in the face of adversity. In spite of 
the frustration and sadness that come in the aftermath of a disaster, 
they are fighting hard to recover. They could certainly use our help.
  The international community and the United States have already 
responded. Countries, NGOs and humanitarian aid agencies from around 
the world have generously contributed millions of dollars in medicine 
and aid, and mobilizing to transport and deliver support and supplies. 
The United States continue to assert and strengthen our commitment to 
participate in the global outpouring of support to our devastated 
neighbors to the south.

  After all, we are no strangers to the effects of natural disasters, 
and many of our cities have suffered through more than their fair 
share. As a Representative of the good people of Houston, Texas, many 
of the Atlantic hurricanes and tropical storms that wreak havoc every 
summer hit very close to home. From

[[Page H5279]]

Ike to Ivan to Wilma to Katrina, we know all too well the devastation 
that befalls those unfortunate enough to be standing in the path of one 
of the North Atlantic's deadly hurricanes or tropical storms. We have 
seen the destruction first hand; I have spoken to the victims; we have 
known the pain and suffering those natural disasters can cause.
  We know the road of recovery can be long and fraught with challenges. 
But we have recovered, and so shall the people of Guatemala, Honduras 
and El Salvador. And the United States must help ensure that they do.
  As such, I am proud to stand behind my fellow members in calling upon 
the Congress to urge the Secretary of State and the United States 
Agency for International Development to continue working on a strategic 
plan to promote food security and recovery efforts, with the aim of 
mitigating current and future effects of the recent natural disasters 
that have devastated Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Watson) that the House suspend the 
rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1462, 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.
  Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a 
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not 
present.
  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.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

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