Supporting the Tsunami Victims
Floor Speech
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of January 4, 2005, the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Wilson) is recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the majority leader.
Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, as the previous cochair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans, I rise to express our solidarity with the people of India and the Indian American community in the aftermath of the devastating tsunami that has affected so many nations in the Indian Ocean.
Earlier tonight, a resolution of sympathy for South Asia was presented by the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), chairman and ranking member of the Committee on International Relations, along with the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Leach), who is leading a delegation to the affected areas, and the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Burton), Indonesian Caucus cochairman.
Nearly 140,000 people in 11 countries in South Asia and East Africa have died, approximately 3 to 5 million people have been displaced and citizens of over 40 countries have been affected by the tsunami. The most devastating death toll was in the nation of Indonesia, which is appreciated as the world's largest Muslim democracy of nearly a quarter of a billion people. India has nearly 15,000 casualties. In this time of need, the American people and our government are demonstrating the generosity and compassion that have been the hallmark of American society and culture since our Nation's founding.
As we grieve for the dead, we must also continue to work hard to save those now living in the wake of this terrible disaster. Under the leadership of President George W. Bush, America has committed $350 million in relief to the nations in need. This substantial funding will go a long way to helping the estimated 3 to 5 million people who now face numerous hardships as they lack access to the basic necessities of life.
Our country and our people are also contributing to this effort in countless other ways. Almost immediately after the disaster occurred, the United States military dispatched aircraft and ships to survey the damage and deliver supplies. Presently there are disaster relief assessment teams on the ground and 20 ships and 80 military aircraft in the area and en route, with 12,600 American military serving the relief effort. The U.S. Pacific Command said this week it is deploying 20 ships from docks in Hong Kong, Guam and the island of Diego Garcia. The ships are loaded with medical equipment and mobile hospitals, 41 helicopters, 2,100 Marines, 1,400 sailors and the capacity to generate 600,000 gallons of fresh water daily. Our Secretary of State Colin Powell and Governor Jeb Bush of Florida are tonight visiting the devastated nations of South Asia, proving our sincere efforts for reconstruction and recovery. Additionally, the United States Department of Defense and USAID have established coordination centers in Bangkok, Thailand, and Colombo, Sri Lanka. These centers will help coordinate the massive U.S. relief efforts.
As the world has witnessed throughout our history, the American men and women in uniform always act boldly to help those in need.
Over the past week, I have been most encouraged by the outpouring of support from the American people. Since December 26, Americans have contributed hundreds of millions of dollars to help those in need. Yesterday President Bush asked President George H.W. Bush and President Bill Clinton to head a nationwide charitable fund-raising effort. In the coming days they will urge all Americans to donate directly to reliable charities already providing help to tsunami victims. My colleagues, as you advise your constituents as you receive inquiries where to send contributions, I have two suggestions that I would want to suggest to you that I have learned in working with the Embassy of India here in Washington. First is the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund which is the Embassy of India at 2107 Massachusetts Avenue Northwest, Washington D.C. 20008. Additionally in India itself, the Tsunami Disaster Relief Fund of the American Chamber of Commerce of India, the AmCham, which is Room 1262, Maurya Sheraton Hotel, S.P. Marg, New Delhi, India. Both of these are organizations that will work to help in the recovery and restoration for the people who have been affected by the tsunami.
I am confident that this effort will further highlight the tremendous decency of the American people. In the 1840s, historian Alexis de Tocqueville wrote, ``When America asks for the cooperation of its citizens, it is seldom refused. And I have often seen it afforded spontaneously with great good will.''
Most importantly, we should all remember that no contribution is too small. President Bush has asked that we all contribute as we are able to do so and fortunately citizens are responding in innovative ways. In my home State of South Carolina, an 11-year-old girl donated $11 she collected at her birthday party. In Columbia, South Carolina, Jack Edgerton, corporate president of Adluh Flour Company, and the Allen family recently demonstrated another example of the concern and compassion exhibited by the American people. They have offered to send nearly 100,000 pounds of flour from the farmers of South Carolina to affected countries, and I do appreciate their generosity. I am also grateful to Dr. Jim Carpenter of Oconee County, South Carolina, who has practiced medicine in Indonesia and speaks Indonesian. He has volunteered to return to provide medical assistance.
These efforts exemplify the President's statement that ``the greatest source of Americans' generosity is not our government, it is the good heart of the American people.'' While the full impact of this disaster may never be known, the significant contribution of the American people will be remembered. I join President Bush in urging all Americans to give generously to this important cause.
Since citizens of over 40 nations have been affected by the tsunami, this is truly a global event. As a member of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans, I am pleased that President Bush visited the Indian Embassy here in Washington yesterday to pledge that we would help the Indian government and the Indian people in any way we can. After losing over 15,000 of its own people, the country of India has responded selflessly to this tragedy. India is now part of a disaster relief coalition with Japan, Australia and the United States. Yesterday, India began deploying Israeli-made unmanned aerial vehicles in round-the-clock searches for victims of the tsunami. By providing significant financial and military assistance to neighboring tsunami affected countries, India is already playing a vital role in this coalition.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen), the new India Caucus cochair who succeeded me today, has also expressed her support to the people of India. It was an honor for me to cochair the largest country caucus in Congress and I am pleased to have worked with people like the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce) my predecessor, the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Kelly), the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Knollenberg), and other leaders in our work with the Indian American community.
As a real estate attorney in South Carolina, I worked with Indian Americans for nearly 30 years in the hospitality, medical, and business sectors; and I have always appreciated the strong family values, entrepreneurship, and patriotism they have shown in our communities. There has been no better or finer example of this than the recent elections of the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Jindal) to Congress and Nikki Randhawa of Lexington, South Carolina to the South Carolina statehouse where she recently was elected president of the freshman class. They embody the hard work and drive that so many Indian Americans have fulfilling the American Dream.
At such a critical time, it is important we stand beside the people of India identified today in the gentleman from Illinois's (Speaker Hastert) acceptance speech as the world's largest democracy, as America is the world's oldest democracy. Our two nations share the same values. I am confident with the proven generosity of Americans we will again demonstrate by our assistance to the people of South Asia to help recover from this terrible tragedy.
Tonight I am very grateful to be joined by the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Ehlers), a person of extraordinary credentials, a person serving in Congress who is a dedicated scientist, a graduate, a Ph.D. in nuclear physics from the University of California at Berkeley, a professor at Calvin College in Michigan, and a person, again, who has a deep understanding and appreciation of science and what it can mean to improve the lives of the American people and the people of South Asia.
I yield to the gentleman from Michigan.
Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman. It was certainly very helpful to have the gentleman explain tsunamis and the effect and how precautions can be taken. We greatly appreciate the gentleman's excellent scientific background that can be so helpful. I know I particularly represent the low country of South Carolina, and we are certainly observing what has occurred in south Asia and we identify with our beaches of Hilton Head Island; it is a concern. But I thank the gentleman so much for his service.
Mr. Speaker, as I complete my service as the cochair of the India Caucus, I want to give a special thanks to Dino Tepparo who is the legislative assistant and attorney of the office of the second district of South Carolina. I give so much credit to him for helping build the largest caucus on Capitol Hill. He also developed the website for the India Caucus, and he has really made a difference in trying for better relations between the world's largest democracy of India and the oldest democracy of the United States. And Dino Tepparo is a person, I greatly appreciate his efforts.
Mr. Speaker, also I want to review the significance of this tragedy on so many different points, because it is so massive that it is almost overwhelming, as was indicated by the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Ehlers) of the magnitude of what the people of the world are facing. As to the disaster background itself, on Sunday, December 26, a magnitude 9.0 earthquake off the West Coast of northern Sumatra, Indonesia triggered massive tsunamis that affected several countries throughout South and Southeast Asia as well as Somalia, Tanzania, and Kenya in East Africa. Aftershocks continued to occur in the region through January 1, when a magnitude 6.5 earthquake occurred off the west coast of northern Sumatra.
The current situation. The estimated death toll from the December 26 earthquake and tsunamis is more than 140,000 people in South and Southeast Asia and East Africa and may be as high as 150,000. Between 3 million to 5 million people throughout the affected region are lacking basic survival requirements, access to clean water, adequate shelter, food, sanitation, and health care. Contaminated water sources in the affected countries have increased the risk of cholera, dysentery, malaria, and dengue fever.
Approximately 500,000 people are displaced in Indonesia. More than 889,175 are displaced in Sri Lanka. Mr. Speaker, 3.5 million people are affected in India, and more than 10,000 are injured in Thailand. In addition, between 15,000 and 30,000 may have been affected in Somalia, 12,000 are displaced in Malaysia, and approximately 12,000 are displaced and 300,000 affected in the Maldives.
The American response. On December 31, President Bush pledged $350 million in relief and recovery assistance, bringing the total amount of pledges from donor countries and the World Bank to an estimated $2 billion. The United States is leading a core group of nations to help with immediate humanitarian relief, rehabilitation, and long-term reconstruction efforts, including India, Japan, and Australia.
On January 2, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell led a delegation of U.S. officials, including Florida Governor Jeb Bush, to visit the disaster-stricken areas of Asia. The United States Pacific Command said this week it is deploying 20 ships from the docks in Hong Kong, Guam, and the island of Diego Garcia. The ships are loaded with medical equipment and mobile hospitals, 41 helicopters, 2,100 Marines, 1,400 sailors, and the capacity to generate 600,000 gallons of fresh water daily.
On December 27, the United States provided more than 3,000 metric tons of rice to the U.N. World Food Program for use in the affected region. The United States Department of Defense and the United States Agency for International Development have established regional coordination centers in Bangkok, Thailand, and in Colombo, Sri Lanka. These centers will help coordinate the massive U.S. relief efforts.
In addition to the hundreds of U.S. embassy and USAID mission staff who are now dedicated to the response to this disaster in their respective countries, USAID disaster assistance response team members and other U.S. assistance team members are already on the ground and moving into the affected countries.
Of course, all of us want to advise our constituents, what can Americans do? Government officials on the ground are advising Americans wishing to offer support in the relief effort to focus on cash donations as opposed to shipments of used clothing, canned goods, or other commodities. While all assistance is greatly appreciated, cash donations are proving to be the most helpful form of assistance for tsunami victims for the following reasons: cash is the fastest and most direct way to get assistance to specific affected areas through nongovernmental and charitable organizations that are established and respected in the disaster response field. The cost of shipping these types of goods exceeds the value of the goods themselves, and many of these goods may not be culturally appropriate or timely in their arrival. Cash will also be used to help the purchase of goods on the ground in the affected areas in order to help jump start the local economies which were so severely impacted by the tsunami.
At this time, unless there is further response and there is, thank goodness, from Congressman Ehlers.
Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Again, Mr. Speaker, we appreciate so much the gentleman's practical advise, his expertise, and his obvious compassion for the people of south Asia.
As we conclude, I certainly want to say God bless our troops, and we will never forget September 11.
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