IV 
113TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. RES. 609 
Expressing condolences and support for assistance to the victims of the 
historic flooding in the Western Balkans. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 30, 2014 
Mr. HASTINGS of Florida (for himself and Mr. ADERHOLT) submitted the 
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 
RESOLUTION 
Expressing condolences and support for assistance to the 
victims of the historic flooding in the Western Balkans. 
Whereas record rainfall beginning on May 13, 2014, has 
caused 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 as of May 22, 2014, the flooding had 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 
seen in Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina in 120 years; 
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•HRES 609 IH 
Whereas the flooding has left thousands stranded in their 
homes waiting for assistance, displaced, or homeless; 
Whereas according to the Red Cross, 300,000 people in Ser-
bia and 50,000 people in Bosnia and Herzegovina are 
without clean water or electricity; 
Whereas the Bosnian Foreign Ministry has reported that the 
flooding has rendered 100,000 buildings unusable, 
500,000 people have evacuated or fled their homes, and 
14 municipalities are in a state of emergency; 
Whereas the Government of Serbia has described the situa-
tion in the country as ‘‘catastrophic’’, and estimates that 
at least 25,000 people have evacuated, particularly in the 
town and municipality of Obrenovac, and that the flood-
ing has caused over 100,000,000 Euros ($140 million) in 
damage to the Kolubara coal mine that supplies the 
Kostolac power plant; 
Whereas soldiers and energy workers scrambled to erect 
sandbag barriers to protect the Kostolac power plant and 
the Nikola Tesla power plant, which provides half of the 
nation’s electricity, from the waters of the over-flooded 
Sava River; 
Whereas an estimated 100,000 landmines remaining from the 
Balkan conflicts of the 1990s have been lost or dislodged 
due to landslides, causing great concern for public safety; 
Whereas the United States Government has provided 
$100,000 in assistance through the Office of U.S. For-
eign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) as a grant to the Ser-
bian Red Cross, which has been used to procure 3 boats 
and trailers to deliver to the Ministry of Interior, and 
$50,000 from the Under Secretary of State for Public 
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Diplomacy and Public Affairs to fund flood cleanup 
projects with non-governmental organizations (NGOs); 
Whereas in addition, United States Embassy funds have been 
used to purchase sandbags and other material assistance 
to respond to flooding, and Embassy volunteers filled 
hundreds of sandbags in a Belgrade suburb still threat-
ened by Sava River flooding on May 18, 2014, and do-
nated 1,000 more sandbags on May 19, 2014; 
Whereas the United States Government has further provided 
$50,000 in OFDA assistance to Bosnia and Herzegovina, 
as well as donated 26 boats through the U.S. Agency for 
International Development (USAID) and 5 trucks of food 
and supplies worth over $650,000 for Banja Luka, and 
the Department of Defense is also providing supplies to 
people affected by the flooding; and 
Whereas Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Republic of Croatia, 
and the Republic of Serbia share an increasing commit-
ment to core democratic values, reconciliation, and Euro-
pean integration: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) expresses deep sympathy to all those af-
fected by the flooding in the Western Balkans for 
the terrible loss of life and massive destruction; 
(2) expresses solidarity with the people of Bos-
nia and Herzegovina, the Republic of Croatia, and 
the Republic of Serbia, as well as a continued desire 
to provide essential assistance to help their countries 
recover from the natural disaster; 
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(3) expresses ongoing support for humanitarian 
and reconstruction assistance provided by relief 
agencies and the international community as imme-
diate and long-term needs are identified; 
(4) commends local authorities, first responders 
and rescue personnel, NGOs, volunteers, and every-
day citizens for their efforts to organize and deliver 
disaster relief to communities in need across Bosnia 
and Herzegovina, the Republic of Croatia, and the 
Republic of Serbia; and 
(5) urges additional assistance by other nations 
and organizations as needed to alleviate the difficult 
circumstances and suffering of the people of Bosnia 
and Herzegovina, the Republic of Croatia, and the 
Republic of Serbia, and assist them in their recovery 
efforts. 
Æ 
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