III 

109TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 319 

Commending relief efforts in response to the earthquake in South Asia and 

urging a commitment by the United States and the international community to help rebuild critical infrastructure in the affected areas. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

NOVEMBER 17, 2005 

Ms. MIKULSKI submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on Foreign Relations 

RESOLUTION 

Commending relief efforts in response to the earthquake 

in South Asia and urging a commitment by the United 

States and the international community to help rebuild 

critical infrastructure in the affected areas. 

Whereas on October 8, 2005, a magnitude 7.6 earthquake 

struck Pakistan, India, and Afghanistan; 

Whereas the epicenter of the earthquake was located near 

Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistani-administered 

Kashmir, and approximately 60 miles north-northeast of 

Islamabad, with aftershocks and landslides continuing to 

affect the area; 

Whereas the most affected areas are the North West Frontier 

Province, Northern Punjab, Pakistani-administered 

Kashmir, and Indian-administered Kashmir; 
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•SRES 319 IS

Whereas more than 75,000 people have died, nearly 70,000 

are injured, and approximately 2,900,000 people are 

homeless as a result of the earthquake, and, according to 

the Executive Director of the United Nations Children’s 

Fund (UNICEF), 17,000 of the dead are children; 

Whereas the United States has pledged a total of 

$156,000,000 to provide assistance in the affected countries, with $50,000,000 to be used for humanitarian relief, $50,000,000 to be used for reconstruction, and 

$56,000,000 to be used to support Department of Defense relief operations; 

Whereas the total amount of humanitarian assistance committed to Pakistan by the United States Agency for 

International Development is more than $40,000,000; 

Whereas the Department of Defense has deployed approximately 875 members of the Armed Forces and 31 helicopters to aid in the earthquake relief efforts; 

Whereas since October 8, 2005, United States helicopters 

have flown more than 1,000 missions, evacuated approximately 3,400 people, and delivered nearly 5,600,000 

pounds of supplies; 

Whereas the delivery of humanitarian assistance to the affected areas is difficult due to the mountainous terrain, 

cold weather, and damaged or collapsed infrastructure; 

Whereas Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, during her October 12, 2005, visit to Pakistan, said the United States 

would support the efforts of the Government of Pakistan 

over the long-term to provide assistance to the victims of 

the earthquake and rebuild areas of the country devastated by the earthquake; 
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•SRES 319 IS

Whereas the cost of rebuilding the affected areas could be in 

excess of $1,000,000,000; and 

Whereas the recovery and reconstruction of the areas devastated by the earthquake will require the concerted leadership of the United States working with the governments of the affected countries and the international 

community: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) commends the members of the United 

3 States Armed Forces and civilian employees of the 

4 Department of State and the United States Agency 

5 for International Development for taking swift ac6 tion to assist the victims of the earthquake in South 

7 Asia that occurred on October 8, 2005; 

8 (2) commends the international relief effort 

9 that includes the work of individual countries, nu10 merous international organizations, and various re11 lief and nongovernmental entities; 

12 (3) commends the Governments of Pakistan 

13 and India for their cooperation in the common cause 

14 of saving lives and providing humanitarian relief to 

15 people on both sides of the Line of Control; 

16 (4) encourages further cooperation between 

17 Pakistan and India on relief operations and efforts 

18 to fortify and expand peace and stability in the re19 gion as they cope with the impact of the earthquake 
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•SRES 319 IS

1 during the winter of 2005 and the spring of 2006 

2 and seek to rehabilitate the lives of those affected; 

3 (5) urges the United States and the world com4 munity to reaffirm their commitment to additional 

5 generous support for relief and long-term recon6 struction efforts in areas affected by the earthquake; 

7 and 

8 (6) urges continued attention by international 

9 donors and relief agencies to the needs of vulnerable 

10 populations in the stricken countries, particularly 

11 the thousands of children who have been left 

12 parentless and homeless by the disaster. 

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