Expressing condolences and long-term support to the people of The Bahamas in the aftermath of the devastating Hurricane Dorian.

Bill: 116-hres-562
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Lee, Barbara [D-CA-13]
Introduced: 2019-09-18
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Bahamas

Caribbean area

Congressional tributes

Foreign aid and international relief

International organizations and cooperation

Natural disasters
Latest action: action_date: 2019-09-18
text: Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Summaries:
action_date: 2019-09-18
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p>This resolution expresses support for victims of Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas and urges the President to make available the necessary resources to assist the Bahamas in its recovery. </p>

tv_txt: IV 116th CONGRESS 1st Session H. RES. 562 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 18, 2019 Ms. Lee of California (for herself, Ms. Pressley , Mr. McGovern , Mr. Bishop of Georgia , Ms. Wilson of Florida , Mr. Blumenauer , Mr. McCaul , Mr. Rooney of Florida , Mrs. Torres of California , Mrs. Beatty , Mr. Diaz-Balart , Mr. Engel , Ms. Mucarsel-Powell , Mr. Sires , Ms. Wasserman Schultz , Ms. Clarke of New York , Ms. Waters , Mr. Cox of California , Ms. Norton , Ms. Schakowsky , Mr. Sean Patrick Maloney of New York , Ms. Fudge , Mr. Espaillat , Mr. Nadler , Ms. Jackson Lee , Ms. Sewell of Alabama , Mr. Cicilline , Mr. Wilson of South Carolina , Mr. Lewis , Ms. Shalala , Ms. Tlaib , Mr. Danny K. Davis of Illinois , Mr. Carson of Indiana , Mrs. Lowey , Mr. Soto , Ms. Plaskett , and Mr. Johnson of Georgia ) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs RESOLUTION Expressing condolences and long-term support to the people of The Bahamas in the aftermath of the devastating Hurricane Dorian.

Whereas, on September 1, 2019, Hurricane Dorian, then a Category 5 storm, struck The Bahamas; Whereas Hurricane Dorian was reported as reaching sustained speeds of up to 180 miles per hour with wind gusts of up to 200 miles per hour; Whereas, as of September 10, 2019, at least 50 people on the islands have been killed and thousands of people reported missing; Whereas thousands of people have been displaced from their homes and find themselves without shelter; Whereas Bahamian Prime Minister Hubert Minnis stated that Hurricane Dorian inflicted generational devastation ; Whereas the International Federation of the Red Cross estimates that 45 percent of homes on Grand Bahama and the Abacos islands have been destroyed; Whereas the only international airport on Grand Bahama Island was destroyed and currently cannot serve as a staging ground for medical evacuations or emergency aid deliveries; Whereas, as of September 6, 2019, the United States Coast Guard announced that it had rescued 205 people on The Bahamas’ northern islands; Whereas the United States Agency for International Development employed a Disaster Assistance Response Team to work with local authorities and international organizations such as the Red Cross to assess damage, identify needs, and provide assistance; and Whereas immediate assistance is needed to rebuild damaged infrastructure to restore international access to Grand Bahama Island: Now, therefore, be it

That the House of Representatives— (1) conveys its deepest condolences and sympathy for the loss of life, displacement, injury, and damage Hurricane Dorian caused in The Bahamas; (2) expresses solidarity with Bahamians, Bahamian Americans, and all those who have been affected by the tragedy; (3) supports preliminary efforts of the United States Government to provide relief to affected communities and urges continued support for and coordination of international humanitarian assistance; (4) calls for robust United States support for recovery and long-term reconstruction and resilience needs in The Bahamas; (5) recognizes that The Bahamas’ long-term recovery will require a strong commitment by the United States and the international community; and (6) urges the President to make available to Federal departments and agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and regional institutions the resources necessary to provide relief, recovery, and reconstruction assistance.