Submitted Resolutions

Floor Speech

SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS -- (Senate - May 19, 2008)

SENATE RESOLUTION 569--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING THE EARTHQUAKE THAT STRUCK SICHUAN PROVINCE OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ON MAY 12, 2008

Mrs. BOXER (for herself, Ms. Murkowski, Mr. Biden, Mr. Lugar, Mr. Casey, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Feingold, Mr. Kerry, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Lieberman, Mr. Dodd, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Durbin, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Isakson, Mrs. Clinton, Mr. Sanders, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Leahy, Mr. Obama, and Mr. Menendez) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

S. Res. 569

Whereas, on May 12, 2008, a powerful earthquake measuring 7.9 on the Richter Scale struck Wenchuan County in the Sichuan Province of the People's Republic of China, leaving at least 34,000 people dead, 245,000 people injured, and an estimated 5,000,000 people homeless;

Whereas authorities of the Government of the People's Republic of China report that approximately 9,500 people remain buried in Sichuan Province and another 29,000 people remain missing;

Whereas authorities of the Government of the People's Republic of China report that the final death toll is expected to exceed 50,000;

Whereas authorities of the Government of the People's Republic of China also report that as many as 4,700,000 homes were destroyed in Sichuan, Gansu, and Shaanxi Provinces and nearly 80 percent of the buildings collapsed in Beichuan County;

Whereas the sheer devastation caused by the earthquake and inclement weather has made rescue efforts exceptionally difficult, particularly in the areas hardest hit by the earthquake;

Whereas authorities of the Government of the People's Republic of China report that 158 relief workers were killed in landslides while working to repair roads in the areas most devastated by the earthquake;

Whereas the Seismological Bureau of the People's Republic of China reports that the earthquake has affected more than half of China's provinces and municipalities;

Whereas authorities of the Government of the People's Republic of China report that more than 2,000 aftershocks have occurred in the aftermath of the earthquake, some greater than a magnitude of 6.0 on the Richter Scale;

Whereas authorities of the Government of the People's Republic of China also report that 6,898 schoolrooms collapsed in Sichuan Province, trapping and killing hundreds of young students and their teachers;

Whereas the earthquake of May 12, 2008, was China's deadliest natural disaster since 1976, when hundreds of thousands of people were killed by an earthquake that struck the city of Tangshan;

Whereas, on May 12, 2008, President George W. Bush said that the United States ``stands ready to help in any way possible''; and

Whereas the Prime Minister of China, Wen Jiabao, said on May 13, 2008, that ``[t]he death toll and damage are more serious than we expected and we need more people here to help'': Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Senate--

(1) mourns the horrific loss of life and terrible human suffering caused by the earthquake in the People's Republic of China on May 12, 2008;

(2) expresses its deep condolences to the people of the People's Republic of China and to all those affected by this enormous tragedy;

(3) expresses its profound sorrow for the families of all who lost loved ones, including those who suffered the heartbreaking loss of having their children trapped in schools that collapsed;

(4) calls on the President to respond to any requests for humanitarian assistance made by the Government of the People's Republic of China; and

(5) stands ready to support the provision of additional resources, as necessary, to assist those impacted by the earthquake.

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