H. Res. 1144 
In the House of Representatives, U. S., 
March 10, 2010. 
Whereas, on February 27, 2010, an 8.8 magnitude earth-
quake, one of the largest ever recorded, struck off the 
coast of Chile; 
Whereas casualty estimates, which number in the hundreds 
and continue to grow, as well as the destruction of entire 
coastal villages and extensive damage to highways, 
bridges, apartments, and infrastructure, have led to the 
Government of Chile’s declaration of a ‘‘state of catas-
trophe’’; 
Whereas an estimated 2,000,000 people, including upwards 
of 1,500,000 displaced persons, have been directly af-
fected by the earthquake, the tsunami, and its aftermath; 
Whereas aftershocks numbering over 100, including 8 after-
shocks registering above a 6.0 magnitude, continue to af-
fect the coast and the rest of the country after the initial 
120-second tremor, the strongest and most damaging 
earthquake in Chile in the last 50 years; 
Whereas Chile had already overcome the trials of more than 
a dozen previous 7.0-magnitude or greater earthquakes 
since the 1960 Valdivia 9.5-magnitude quake, the largest 
ever measured, which left thousands dead;
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Whereas the tsunami caused by the earthquake, which came 
shortly after, with waves measuring over 19 feet, 
slammed 124 miles of Chile’s coast and accounted for a 
significant percentage of the casualties and missing; 
Whereas the threat of potential tsunamis across the ‘‘Ring of 
Fire’’ earthquake area prompted warnings and advisories 
issued from Hawaii to as far as the California coast and 
Alaska; 
Whereas according to the United States Geological Survey 
(USGS), Concepcion, Chile’s second largest city, was 70 
miles from the earthquake’s epicenter and suffered some 
of the worst damage, and its hundreds of thousands of 
residents initially remained largely cut off from the re-
mainder of the country without many basic necessities, 
including running water and electricity; 
Whereas the coastal town of Dichato and its 4,000 residents 
were among the hardest hit, and is reportedly 80 percent 
destroyed; 
Whereas 80 percent of Talcahuano’s 180,000 residents living 
on the Chilean coast were left homeless by the earth-
quake; 
Whereas initial estimates of the damage costs range from 
$15,000,000,000 to $30,000,000,000; 
Whereas basic necessities across the country, including elec-
tricity, clean water access, telephone access, and commu-
nication systems, continue to be restored on a progressive 
basis in many zones; 
Whereas the Government of Chile continues to deliver aid to 
affected citizens to the best of its ability, including air-
lifting supplies to remote towns;
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Whereas the Government of Chile has taken significant meas-
ures to maintain order and public security in the streets 
to prevent more widespread panic and chaos as damage 
assessments are made and relief is delivered; 
Whereas Chile is a political and economic leader and a close 
ally of the United States in Latin America; 
Whereas the people and Government of Chile have stood reso-
lute and steadfast in the face of a long history of destruc-
tive earthquakes; 
Whereas Chile’s stringent building codes, which one local ar-
chitect called ‘‘our proud building standards’’, as well as 
the Government of Chile’s ability to implement them, 
greatly mitigated the impact of this catastrophic natural 
event both in terms of casualties and physical damage to 
the infrastructure of the country; 
Whereas Chile showed its deep generosity and responsibility 
as a regional ally when it deployed Chilean earthquake 
rescue teams, which Secretary of State Hillary Rodham 
Clinton has described as among the best in the world, to 
Haiti following its devastating earthquake earlier this 
year; 
Whereas these search and rescue teams continue to work tire-
lessly to save more lives from collapsed buildings and 
neighborhoods struck by the earthquake in Chile; 
Whereas several international urban search and rescue teams 
remain prepared to deploy to Chile if the need arises; 
Whereas sitting Chilean President Michelle Bachelet declared 
the natural disaster ‘‘a catastrophe of such unthinkable 
magnitude that it will require a giant effort to recover’’; 
Whereas incoming Chilean President Sebastian Pinera, to be 
sworn in March 11, 2010, expressed that ‘‘The future
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government is working tirelessly and will continue to con-
front the emergency that Pres. Bachelet is facing, be-
cause the emergency will not be over in five days. We are 
set to tackle something even more difficult, which is to 
lift Chile up, to reconstruct our country’’; 
Whereas President Obama declared that the United States 
‘‘stands ready to assist in the rescue and recovery efforts 
and we have resources that are positioned to deploy 
should the Chilean government ask for our help.’’; 
Whereas Secretary Clinton visited Chile on March 2, 2010, 
delivering crucial communication equipment, and vowed 
that ‘‘We’ll be here to help when others leave because we 
are committed to this partnership and this friendship 
with Chile.’’; and 
Whereas the world stands ready to swiftly aid those affected 
by this epic natural disaster: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) mourns the significant loss of life, as well as the 
physical damage, caused by the February 27, 2010, 
earthquake and resulting tsunami in Chile; 
(2) expresses its deepest condolences and sympathy 
to the families of the victims of this horrific tragedy, and 
solidarity with the millions of affected Chileans; 
(3) recognizes that Chile is and remains a close ally 
and friend of the United States; 
(4) recognizes that Chile’s embrace of democratic 
ideals and the Government of Chile’s ability to imple-
ment strict building standards due to its strong govern-