H. Res. 816 
In the House of Representatives, U. S., 
October 14, 2009. 
Whereas, on September 29, 2009, at 1748 UTC, a powerful 
earthquake struck below the ocean about 140 miles 
southwest of Pago Pago, American Samoa, and 125 miles 
south of Samoa, centered only 11 miles below the seabed; 
Whereas the earthquake registered 8.3 on the Richter scale 
and is recognized as the world’s largest earthquake of 
2009; 
Whereas a second earthquake with a magnitude of 5.6 oc-
curred at 1808 UTC in the vicinity of the first one; 
Whereas the first undersea earthquake created a massive tsu-
nami that crashed into American Samoa, Samoa, and 
neighboring Tonga, sweeping cars and people out to sea 
as survivors fled to high ground; 
Whereas the tsunami, with towering waves that reached up 
to 20 feet in height and penetrated one mile inland, 
caused death and destruction on a nearly unprecedented 
scale; 
Whereas the death toll, as of October 7, 2009, is estimated 
at 32 in American Samoa and 135 in the Independent 
State of Samoa; 
Whereas many individuals and families affected in this region 
are now lacking basic survival necessities and there re-
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mains the risk of numerous additional deaths due to 
shortages of clean water, adequate shelter, food, sanita-
tion, and basic healthcare; 
Whereas the human cost of this disaster transcends mere sta-
tistics and has resulted in deeply personal tragedies for 
numerous families and communities in the region and 
throughout the world; 
Whereas children in the United States Territory of American 
Samoa running for home unknowingly ran in the direc-
tion of the tsunami; 
Whereas the villages of Fagamalo, Poloa, Amanave, Fai’lolo, 
Nua, Se’etaga, Afao, Asili, Amaluia, Leone, Fagasa, 
Fagatogo, Pago Pago, Aua, Afono, Vatia, Masefau, 
Faga’itua, Pagai, Utusia, Alofau, Auto, Alao, and Tula 
in American Samoa were devastated by the disaster; 
Whereas in response to this disaster and call for assistance, 
the people of the United States have responded with a 
generous and heartfelt outpouring of aid; 
Whereas a team of more than 300 responders from the Fed-
eral Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the 
American Red Cross, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 
the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) 
and other Federal agencies is on the ground in American 
Samoa coordinating relief and recovery operations; 
Whereas the United States Navy (USN), the United States 
Coast Guard (USCG), the Hawaii Air National Guard, 
and the U.S. Army Reserve American Samoa, under the 
leadership of Admiral Timothy J. Keating, Commander, 
U.S. Pacific Command (PACOM), and Command Ser-
geant Major (CSM) Iuniasolua T. Savusa, Senior En-
listed Leader, PACOM, with the support of Major Gen-
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eral Robert G.F. Lee, the Adjutant General, State of Ha-
waii, provided critical transport of the life-saving and life- 
sustaining supplies and equipment to meet the immediate 
needs of the survivors, including more than 26,000 
meals, 14,000 liters of water, 1,800 blankets, 800 tents, 
more than 800 cots, and 9 pallets of medical supplies and 
medical equipment in support of American Samoa’s mass 
care operations; 
Whereas foreign governments, including Kazakhstan, the 
People’s Republic of China, the Republic of Korea, Palau, 
Thailand, Samoa, Fiji, Grenada, Hungary, Uzbekistan, 
Republic of China (Taiwan), Indonesia, Nauru, Australia, 
Cambodia, Vietnam, Japan, Pacific Islands Forum mem-
bers, and the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) 
sent messages of support and offers of aid to the people 
of American Samoa; 
Whereas organizations including the Li Ka Shing Founda-
tion, the Hanwha Group, Save the Children, the Amer-
ican Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity, Latter-day Saint 
Charities, Catholic Charities, the American Jewish Joint 
Distribution Committee (JDC), National Voluntary Orga-
nizations Active in Disaster, StarKist, Bumble Bee, the 
National Football League (NFL), and many others are 
providing assistance; 
Whereas the Samoan community in areas such as California, 
Utah, Washington, and Hawaii have been instrumental in 
helping their ‘‘aiga’’ abroad; 
Whereas President Barack H. Obama telephoned the Gov-
ernor of American Samoa and American Samoa’s Dele-
gate to the United States House of Representatives to 
personally extend his and the First Lady’s condolences to 
the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives
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in the earthquake and tsunami in American Samoa and 
the region, and to assure the Governor and the Delegate 
that he would speed the deployment of resources and pro-
vide the tools necessary for a full, swift, and aggressive 
response; 
Whereas Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton also tele-
phoned American Samoa’s Delegate in his capacity as 
Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs’ Subcommittee 
on Asia, the Pacific and the Global Environment to con-
vey her sympathy and offer her full support which subse-
quently included the authorization to airlift emergency 
supplies to Samoa; 
Whereas Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi issued a press 
statement on behalf of the entire Congress promising to 
quickly address the needs of American Samoa and the 
Americans who live there; and 
Whereas Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, House Major-
ity Leader Steny H. Hoyer, Chairman John F. Kerry of 
the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Chairman 
Howard L. Berman of the House Committee on Foreign 
Affairs, Chairman Nick J. Rahall, II, of the House Com-
mittee on Natural Resources, as well as many other 
Members of Congress also offered expressions of support 
in the aftermath of the devastating tsunami: Now, there-
fore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) mourns the loss of life caused by the earth-
quakes and tsunamis that occurred on September 29, 
2009, in American Samoa, Samoa, and Tonga;