III 

113TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 480 

Expressing condolences and supporting assistance for the victims of the 

historic flooding in the Western Balkans. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JUNE 19, 2014 

Mrs. SHAHEEN (for herself, Mr. PORTMAN, and Mr. MURPHY) submitted the 

following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing condolences and supporting assistance for the 

victims of the historic flooding in the Western Balkans. 

Whereas record rainfall beginning on May 13, 2014, has led 

to widespread flooding in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the 

Republic of Croatia, and the Republic of Serbia, causing 

thousands of landslides, massive destruction, and loss of 

life; 

Whereas by May 22, 2014, the flooding caused over 40 

deaths and impacted over 500,000 people across the region, particularly in western Serbia and eastern Bosnia 

and Herzegovina; 

Whereas the equivalent of 3 months of rain fell during the 

course of 3 days, making this the worst flooding event in 

Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina in 120 years; 


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•SRES 480 IS 

Whereas the flooding has left thousands of people stranded 

in their homes waiting for assistance, displaced, or without shelter; 

Whereas according to the International Federation of Red 

Cross and Red Crescent Societies, 300,000 people in Serbia and 50,000 people in Bosnia and Herzegovina were 

left without clean water or electricity; 

Whereas the Foreign Ministry of Bosnia and Herzegovina 

has reported that the flooding rendered 100,000 buildings unusable, caused 500,000 people to evacuate or flee 

their homes, and prompted 14 municipalities to declare 

a state of emergency; 

Whereas the Government of Serbia has described the situation in that country as ‘‘catastrophic’’, and estimates 

that at least 25,000 people have been forced to evacuate, 

particularly in the town and municipality of Obrenovac, 

and that the flooding has caused over 100,000,000 Euros 

($140,000,000) in damage to the Kolubara coal mine 

that supplies the Nikola Tesla power plants; 

Whereas soldiers and energy workers scrambled to erect 

sandbag barriers to protect the Kostolac power plant and 

the Nikola Tesla power plants, which provide half of the 

country’s electricity, from the waters of the flooded Sava, 

Kolubara, and Tamnava Rivers; 

Whereas, according to the International Medical Corps, as 

many as 120,000 landmines remaining from the Balkan 

conflicts of the 1990s may have been lost or dislodged 

due to landslides, causing great concern for public safety; 

Whereas the United States Government has approved or provided $2,060,000 in funds through the United States 

Agency for International Development’s Office of United 


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•SRES 480 IS 

States Foreign Disaster Assistance, the Department of 

Defense, and the Under Secretary of Public Diplomacy 

and Public Affairs for the Republic of Serbia; 

Whereas the United States Government has provided 

$2,740,000 in humanitarian assistance to Bosnia and 

Herzegovina; and 

Whereas the governments and people of Bosnia and 

Herzegovina, the Republic of Croatia, and the Republic 

of Serbia share an increasing commitment to core democratic values, reconciliation, and European integration: 

Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) expresses deep sympathy to all those af3 fected by the flooding in the Western Balkans for 

4 the terrible loss of life and massive destruction; 

5 (2) expresses solidarity with the people of Bos6 nia and Herzegovina, the Republic of Croatia, and 

7 the Republic of Serbia, as well as a continued desire 

8 to provide assistance to help their countries recover 

9 from this natural disaster; 

10 (3) expresses ongoing support for humanitarian 

11 and reconstruction assistance provided by relief 

12 agencies and the international community as imme13 diate and long-term needs are identified; 

14 (4) commends local authorities, first responders 

15 and rescue personnel, NGOs, volunteers, and every16 day citizens for their efforts to organize and deliver 


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•SRES 480 IS 

1 disaster relief to communities in need across Bosnia 

2 and Herzegovina, the Republic of Croatia, and the 

3 Republic of Serbia; 

4 (5) commends the United States Government 

5 agencies, including USAID and the Department of 

6 Defense, for their response to the natural disaster; 

7 and 

8 (6) urges additional assistance by other nations 

9 and organizations as needed to alleviate the difficult 

10 circumstances and suffering of the people of Bosnia 

11 and Herzegovina, the Republic of Croatia, and the 

12 Republic of Serbia, and to assist them in their recov13 ery efforts. 

Æ 


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