[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 4]
[House]
[Pages 5557-5560]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 COMMENDING OUTSTANDING EFFORTS OF ARMED FORCES AND EMPLOYEES OF STATE 
DEPARTMENT AND USAID IN RESPONSE TO EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI OF DECEMBER 
                                26, 2004

  Mr. McCOTTER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the resolution (H. Res. 120) commending the outstanding efforts by 
Members of the Armed Forces and civilian employees of the Department of 
State and the United States Agency for International Development in 
response to the earthquake and tsunami of December 26, 2004.

[[Page 5558]]

  The Clerk read as follows:

                              H. Res. 120

       Whereas on December 26, 2004, an earthquake and tsunami 
     struck the Indian Ocean basin, killing over 250,000 people in 
     Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand, Somalia, Burma, 
     Maldives, Malaysia, Tanzania, Bangladesh, and Kenya;
       Whereas the response by members of the Armed Forces and 
     civilian employees of the Department of State and the United 
     States Agency for International Development (USAID) was 
     immediate, invaluable, and courageous;
       Whereas civilian employees of the Department of State and 
     USAID showed great leadership in helping to coordinate relief 
     efforts among donors, United Nations agencies, international 
     organizations, aid agencies, and host governments;
       Whereas civilian employees of the Department of State and 
     USAID who were on vacation in some of the hardest hit areas 
     used their expertise and specialized skills to provide 
     immediate assistance to victims and survivors of the tsunami;
       Whereas civilian employees of the Department of State and 
     USAID set up remote assistance operations in the affected 
     areas in order to best provide service to United States 
     citizens and citizens of other countries who were affected by 
     the tsunami;
       Whereas United States consular officers worked around the 
     clock to locate and identify United States citizens affected 
     by the tsunami, reconnect them with their loved ones, and 
     facilitate their return to the United States, despite the 
     loss of their passports, other identification, and belongings 
     as a result of the tsunami;
       Whereas members of the Armed Forces volunteered their 
     unique resources to assess the situation and deliver aid when 
     and where other relief efforts could not;
       Whereas the sight of members of the Armed Forces providing 
     aid to tsunami victims and survivors has provided an 
     important boost to the image abroad of the United States;
       Whereas members of the Armed Forces and civilian employees 
     of USAID worked together to bring clean water from Navy ships 
     to victims and survivors in need; and
       Whereas the coordinated effort by members of the Armed 
     Forces and civilian employees of the Department of State and 
     USAID saved lives, made a crucial contribution to recovery, 
     and set the stage for a long-term United States commitment to 
     increased peace and security across South and Southeast Asia: 
     Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) commends the outstanding efforts in response to the 
     earthquake and tsunami of December 26, 2004, by members of 
     the Armed Forces and civilian employees of the Department of 
     State and the United States Agency for International 
     Development;
       (2) recognizes that the actions of these individuals went 
     above and beyond the call of duty; and
       (3) thanks them for their service.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Michigan (Mr. McCotter) and the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. McCotter).


                             General Leave

  Mr. McCOTTER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks and include extraneous material on House Resolution 120.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Michigan?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. McCOTTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, 
and I wish to begin by sending my gratitude to the distinguished 
gentleman from Oregon for bringing this resolution before the House.
  The December 26, 2004, earthquake off the coast of Indonesia was one 
of the largest natural disasters on record, devastating coastal areas 
throughout the Indian Ocean area, particularly in Indonesia and Sri 
Lanka. The cost in human life now stands at nearly 300,000 dead or 
missing, another 1 million displaced, and many more otherwise affected.
  The response by U.S. military and civilian personnel was nearly 
instantaneous as they moved into action to provide help to those caught 
in the tragedy. The logistics, airlift, and other supplies and services 
provided by the Department of Defense were, by all accounts, 
indispensable. Similarly, the humanitarian relief provided by U.S. 
civilian agencies, particularly the United States Agency for 
International Development, demonstrated the capacity and compassion of 
the American people who tried to aid those who were suffering.
  In addition to its speed, the United States Government has been 
generous in its response: Nearly $150 million has already been spent 
and will be followed by several hundred million more dollars for 
ongoing recovery and reconstruction programs. The American people 
should also be greatly complimented for their generosity, as private 
donations from the United States alone are estimated to be at $1 
billion.
  This resolution recognizes America's military and civilian first 
responders to this terrible disaster and extends the appreciation of 
Congress to them for their work in saving lives, helping the survivors, 
and displaying our American virtues to our brothers and sisters beyond 
our shores.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I wish to thank my colleague from Michigan for joining me in 
cosponsoring this resolution, and the chairman of the Subcommittee on 
Asia and the Pacific, the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Leach), for 
introducing the resolution with me.
  This resolution commends the action of civilian employees of the 
State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development and 
the members of the Armed Forces for their response to last December's 
tsunami tragedy in the Indian Ocean.
  Mr. Speaker, it was my privilege to journey with a congressional 
delegation to the affected areas immediately in the aftermath of the 
disaster. As we viewed the stricken region, we were all impressed by 
the quality of the relief effort and the coordination between all 
parties. It was truly gratifying to see the governments, particularly 
of these four affected countries, stepping forward in some areas where 
we had simmering conflicts and military actions. People would put aside 
the hostilities to deal with those in need.
  I must confess that the pictures of our military, the rapid response, 
spoke volumes. I had an opportunity to visit with the leadership, 
starting with Admiral Crowder, and other senior officers, down the 
chain of command, visiting with men and women on the front lines. It 
was clear that they were not just acting out of a professional 
dedication and a military ethic, but they were doing it for the 
profound and heartfelt desire to help people in need.
  While the pictures spoke volumes of the affected people throughout 
that region, I think it is important that we also recognize the efforts 
of the civilians from the State Department and USAID who do the 
tireless work of diplomacy and development that form the backbone of 
our foreign policy. They contribute day in and day out with far less 
fanfare and too often less of our support.
  I was struck by individual cases of Foreign Service officers. Two 
examples that had been brought to my attention while I was visiting was 
that of Richard Hanrahan and Michael Chadwick, who were junior consular 
officers from American embassies who were on vacation in Phuket when 
the disaster struck.

                              {time}  1430

  They were there with their own families and had to make sure they 
were safe, but then they acted to set up their own remote control 
command post in Phuket to ensure the safe return of Americans. They 
dealt with traumatized families under the most difficult of 
circumstances, being able to borrow cell phones and deal with the 
communication difficulties; dealing with really very difficult 
situations, going from hospital to hospital, identifying injured 
Americans, and reporting on the situation before others had a chance to 
arrive.
  Having seen and heard how these people behaved in such difficult 
circumstances, hour after hour, day after day, using their own 
independent action and individual motivation is something that all of 
us in Congress can be proud of. Having seen the impact that the 
officials from the State Department and USAID, working together with 
our military in response to

[[Page 5559]]

the tsunami, highlights for us all the need to continue to enhance our 
diplomatic development and humanitarian capabilities.
  As I heard these stories and met these people, I thought of the work 
that former Secretary of State Powell performed when he invested the 
prestige of his office, used the leverage of his position and his own 
experience to increase the support, ramping up the hiring of a new 
class of officials and making it a personal priority to make sure that 
the men and women in the front lines of the State Department around the 
world had the resources that they needed.
  I hope that our new Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, will build 
upon his actions and as we in this Congress go through our 
appropriations cycle, we support her and our diplomats with the 
necessary funding.
  We should strengthen the ability of the State Department to respond 
to these crises, both natural and man-made, in part to minimize the 
challenge for our over-stretched military who are not always going to 
be able to be available in force to make the contributions that we saw 
in the aftermath of the tsunami. Often, frankly, there are tasks better 
left to civilian hands.
  This disaster was an illustration of the value of the services 
provided by many of these agencies. I think of the USAID's outstanding 
individuals who were there as part of the briefing, indicating how they 
were equipped and ready to go to help fight the problems after the 
tsunami, and deal with the aftermath of poverty and environmental 
degradation. Hopefully, their work will make these communities less 
vulnerable in the future, and we can invest in disaster mitigation and 
planning to reduce the loss of life the next time the inevitable 
disaster strikes.
  It is the selfless commitment of these individuals in the military, 
the State Department, and USAID that is making a difference. At a time 
when our prestige, particularly in this region, as a Nation is at an 
all-time low, according to independent opinion surveys, the 
contributions in the aftermath of the tsunami is making a difference, 
particularly with Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim country. Two-
thirds of the Indonesians are now more favorable to the United States 
because of what they saw, Americans responding and dealing with the 
aftermath of this disaster.
  We should continue to invest in diplomacy and development along with 
our national defense, extend the kindness and compassion demonstrated 
by American people into a full-time commitment to those who suffer 
around the world. These efforts will pay dividends not just for the 
people in need but for our security as well.
  The civilian employees of the State Department, the USAID, and our 
men and women in uniform went beyond the call of duty in responding to 
the tsunami. Through this demonstration of their professionalism, 
skill, creativity and commitment, they saved lives and took important 
steps for peace and security. I strongly urge the adoption of this 
resolution.
  Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution 
and I would like to give a special thanks to the sponsor of this 
resolution, my good friend from Oregon, Mr. Blumenauer.
  Like several of my colleagues on the House International Relations 
Committee, I had the opportunity to meet with many of the men and women 
of our Armed Forces, the Department of State and the United States 
Agency for International Development operating in the tsunami affected 
region.
  My trip to the region began in Singapore, where I met with members of 
our Armed Forces who were using the Singapore Air Force base as a 
staging ground for missions into the hardest hit area of the tsunami, 
Banda Aceh, Indonesia.
  They were running operations out of the base 24 hours a day thanks to 
the support of our Singaporean friends.
  While I was at the base I met with a Marine who was injured just days 
before in a helicopter crash but he remained in high spirits and was 
eager to get back out to help the survivors of the tsunami.
  Singapore has been such a strong ally and a solid supporter of our 
relief mission; I want to publicly thank the government and people of 
Singapore for their role in the assistance to the tsunami affected 
region.
  After Singapore, I traveled to Sri Lanka and went south of Colombo to 
Galle, a tourist town, which was ravaged by the tsunami.
  During my day in Galle, I visited a maternity hospital that had been 
badly damaged and is now unusable, but I met with a doctor who told me 
about a c-section he was performing when the wave hit the hospital.
  This doctor was able to finish the surgery by flashlight and saved 
the mother and child. These are some of the stories we may never have 
heard.
  As I traveled on the road back to Colombo stretching the length of 
the shore I saw more affects of the Tsunami, train tracks were turned 
into corkscrews and buildings were totally destroyed.
  But within all this rubble was American Marines and USAID Disaster 
Assistance Relief Teams working hand in hand with the Sri Lankan's 
clearing destroyed homes.
  I asked one of the marines about his daily activities and he told me 
what brought him the most joy was playing with the local children who 
had lost their families and homes and that just making them smile and 
keeping them active brought him so much fulfillment.
  As those children grow up they will always remember that marine who 
brought a little sense of normalcy back to their lives.
  Also, during a meeting with the U.S. Embassy in Colombo, I met the 
director of the U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance, OFDA, covering South 
Asia, which with the help of this committee; I was able to establish 
this branch.
  I was caught off guard when William Berger, the director of the OFDA, 
thanked me for establishing this office and told me that the funding I 
was able to secure has saved thousands of lives and will continue to.
  It's a real testament to the effect our committee has on the lives of 
those living so far away.
  I urge all of my colleagues to support this important resolution.
  Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 120, 
commending members of the Armed Forces and civilian employees of the 
Department of State and the United States Agency for International 
Development in response to the earthquake and tsunami of December 26, 
2004.
  In particular, I want to share with my colleagues how a professor 
from the Naval Postgraduate School, located in my district, assisted 
victims of the tsunami in Thailand. As coincidence would have it, 
Professor Brian Stackler was in Bangkok shortly after the tsunami when 
he realized that a field experiment he was planning to conduct in six 
months could save disaster victims' lives. Within days, he and his team 
were able to set up a wireless communications network near Phuket, and 
weeks later a broadband wireless Internet connection for more than 
4,000 refugees, volunteer workers, international DNA testing and 
response teams, NGOs, and the media. As you can imagine, these 
emergency communication services were overwhelmed, so Professor 
Stackler and his team established voice-over Internet connections 
allowing computer users to speak over their microphones.
  The impact of this technology was profound. It speeded up 
identification of victims and facilitated communication between victims 
and the outside world.
  Professor Brian Stackler and his team are unsung heroes to thousands 
of victims of the tsunami and richly deserve the recognition provided 
by H. Res. 120.
  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, today in the United States 
House of Representatives, we commend the men and women of our Armed 
Forces and civilian employees of the Department of State and the United 
States Agency for International Development for their services and 
actions in response to the earthquake and tsunami of December 26, 2004. 
In particular, I would like to recognize the active-duty and reserve 
servicemembers of the 62nd and 446th Airlift Wings stationed in my 
District at McChord Air Force Base. The Airmen who deployed filled many 
different roles from aircrew members to maintainers and aerial port 
personnel and security forces. McChord's aircrews flew badly needed 
supplies to countries throughout the region. The C-17's unique ability 
to land in the most austere conditions allowed it to deliver aid where 
other aircraft couldn't. In particular, I would like to commend Colonel 
Wayne Schatz, the 62nd Airlift Wing commander, who deployed to Hickam 
Air Force Base, Hawaii, and became the Deputy Director of Mobility 
Forces for the entire operation. While there, he helped marshall the 
massive humanitarian airlift mission, directing hundreds of aircraft 
that delivered nearly 3,000 tons of relief supplies to countries most 
in need of aid.
  All told, Team McChord's contributions to the relief efforts 
included: 1.8 million pounds of relief supplies delivered; 660+ 
passengers moved; and 48 relief missions flown.

[[Page 5560]]

  Mr. Speaker, I'm proud of the men and women in my District who 
participated in this noble operation.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 
120, commending the outstanding efforts of our military and civilian 
personnel who responded to the humanitarian crisis engendered by the 
earthquake and tsunami of December 26, 2004. I commend my colleagues, 
Mr. Blumenauer and Mr. Leach, for submitting this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I traveled to Southeast Asia in January to help assess 
the damage caused by the tsunami. I saw firsthand the overwhelming 
scale of the human tragedy that killed over 250,000 people. Without the 
heroic efforts of the U.S. Armed Forces personnel and the civilian 
employees of the Department of State and the United States Agency for 
International Development, the death toll would have been far worse.
  These men and women worked tirelessly to help provide necessities, 
like drinking water, food, and medical supplies, to survivors of the 
tragedy. In addition, many worked to coordinate the relief efforts of 
donors, relief organizations, aid agencies, and governments. The 
civilian employees worked to identify and assist U.S. citizens who were 
affected by the tsunami.
  Because of the courageous efforts of these Americans, I have no doubt 
that many lives were saved. This selfless giving in a time of crisis 
was beyond the call of duty. Their efforts deserve great recognition 
and I am proud to support this resolution commending them.
  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. McCOTTER. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Culberson). The question is on the 
motion offered by the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. McCotter) that the 
House suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 120.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of 
those present have voted in the affirmative.
  Mr. McCOTTER. 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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