Expressing the sympathy of the House of Representatives for the victims of the devastating earthquake that occurred on December 26, 2003, in Bam, Iran.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the chairman and also the gentlewoman for supporting this resolution. I want to particularly thank the chairman for always responding when it comes to international affairs and making our Congress proud.

Mr. Speaker, we have the support of many great colleagues, the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Blunt), the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Snyder), the gentleman from California (Mr. Berman), the gentleman from New York (Mr. Ackerman), the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Leach), the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter), just to mention a few of the cosponsors of this resolution. I want to thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) for being the prime sponsor and the gentleman from Illinois (Chairman Hyde) for all his support, again.

I rise today in support of House Resolution 526, which expresses the sympathy of the House of Representatives for the victims of the devastating earthquake that occurred on December 26, 2003, in Bam, Iran.

More than 40,000 men, women and children, including an American, were killed when the ancient city of Bam was struck by a massive earthquake. While the final toll is still being tallied, the loss of life ranks this as one of the worst human tragedies in recent memory. Aside from the unspeakable humanitarian disaster, which has been pointed out on the floor today, more than 90 percent of the 2,000-year-old city was destroyed. Indeed, in this destruction was the magnificent citadel of Bam.

Located in southeastern Iran, 200 kilometers south of Kerman, Bam was made mostly of mud bricks, clay, straw, and the trunks of palm trees. The more modern part of the city was originally founded during the Sassanian Period, around the third century A.D.

During this time of suffering, the American people immediately showed their sympathy and offered their help. Rescue teams and aid personnel from all over our Nation jumped into action as though this tragedy hit their own next-door neighbors.

President Bush was among those who acted with great speed. He temporarily lifted sanctions on Iran only 5 days after the earthquake. The President's actions enabled American relief organizations to swiftly send aid to the people of Bam. It is not inconsequential that American help was warmly received and welcomed by the Iranian people. Our workers were received with generosity and great appreciation by the Iranian people.

Teams from the Mercy Corps were among the first to arrive and worked hand in hand with local aid organizations. American and Iranian personnel rescued people from the rubble and brought much-needed supplies to very weary survivors.

Our brave aid workers dispelled misconceptions about America that pervade the Middle East. They showed the real essence of our great Nation and of our people, one of generosity and one of compassion.

Mr. Speaker, the leadership that President Bush has shown in exempting humanitarian aid from U.S. sanctions on Iran will go a long way towards improving understanding by the people of Iran, the Mideast and America towards each other. The President's actions have shown that two societies can work with each other in a time of great need and in a time of great trauma and strife.

I ask that the Congress join me in expressing our heartfelt sympathy for the victims of the Bam earthquake and our gratitude and appreciation for the courageous work of the American aid personnel.

By passing this important resolution, we will commend President Bush's decision and this Congress' support to temporarily make aid organizations exempt from the sanctions on Iran, and we will continue to show that the compassion and generosity that has kept America the world's leader in humanitarian missions still continue to this day.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 526) expressing the sympathy of the House of Representatives for the victims of the devastating earthquake that occurred on December 26, 2003, in Bam, Iran.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Today I rise in support of House Resolution 526, introduced by the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Ney) on February 11, 2004, expressing the sympathy of the House of Representatives for the victims of the devastating earthquake that occurred on December 26, 2003, in Bam, Iran. This resolution is a reflection of the goodwill that emanates from the people of the United States to the people of Iran during their time of great need and profound sorrow.

On that tragic day, an earthquake measuring 6.6 on the Richter scale struck the southeastern area of Iran. During the days that followed, the American people and the rest of the world watched in sympathy as helpless Iranian families tried to put the pieces of their lives back together. With approximately 40,000 people dead, 30,000 people injured, and up to 75,000 people made homeless, the U.S. Government reacted in solidarity with the Iranian people by implementing necessary measures so that millions of dollars in emergency earthquake assistance could be distributed through United States relief organizations.

Immediately, the President directed that a general license be issued to temporarily permit U.S. individuals or nongovernmental organizations to transfer funds to organizations operating in Iran to assist humanitarian aid activities. I commend the administration's handling of this tragic situation and President Bush's message that ``We stand ready to help the people of Iran.''

Many factors characterize the perceived power and greatness of America throughout the world. However, it is the spirit of our unconditional compassion in times like these that truly resonates in the hearts and minds of the Iranian people and communicates our real hopes and desires for them.

Currently, the people of Iran need their courage and strength to help parallel the efforts by international aid personnel in rebuilding their lives. Children who are orphaned and homeless will need guidance and direction from their elders. Elders who are grieving the loss of their loved ones will need the inspiration of their youth to go on. Through their trials and tribulations, the Iranian people have proved to be a resilient force while never losing hope for the blessings of a new day. I am convinced that through exercising their faith and reconstructing their lives a stronger and empowered community will be unearthed.

I commend the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Ney) for introducing this meaningful resolution and thank him for his understanding of Iran's needs and challenges. Mr. Speaker, I strongly support this resolution and urge its passage.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for an excellent statement, and I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Ney).

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution. I commend the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Ney) for this important resolution.

The suffering of the Iranian people from the Bam earthquake in December is incalculable. As many as 50,000 dead, countless injured. Tragic as well is the destruction of 90 percent of an historic 2,000- year-old city. This is truly a loss to all the world. The resolution appropriately expresses the heartfelt sympathy of the House for the victims of

the earthquake and for their loved ones. It also expresses gratitude for the courageous work of U.S. and international aid personnel and relief workers. It was right for the administration to temporarily lift the sanctions that otherwise would have prevented such humanitarian activities in Iran.

Relief workers in Iran came from the United States and around the world. They were ordinary people like Jim Ricci of St. Paul, Minnesota serving in the Air National Guard. Mr. Ricci, who was on his third tour of duty in the Persian Gulf, was on the last of the military's 11 humanitarian flights to Iran. Relief also came from groups like the American Refugee Committee International, headquartered in Minnesota. The American Refugee Committee helped coordinate several significant relief efforts, while donating medical supplies and nonfood items. This coordinated assistance was critical in providing the most effective aid programs possible.

Everyone in Congress is concerned by the conduct of the Islamic Republic of Iran, particularly by the hardliners who dominate the regime, support for terrorism, threats against Israel's existence, deceitful pursuit of nuclear arms and other weapons of mass destruction, and notorious human rights abuse. This recent stacked-deck election are cases in point. We all share the concerns about the Iranian regime, but we also know it is wrong to blame the Iranian people. I believe the vast majority of Iranian people would yearn for the freedom and the friendship with the U.S. and the world at large.

This resolution recognizes the common humanity of Americans and Iranians. Our common bond of humanity was also acknowledged by the Iranians, who held a spontaneous candlelight vigil on behalf of the victims of September 11, 2001.

The Iranian people should know they have our deepest sympathies for their terrible tragedy. I strongly support this resolution, and I urge all of my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, once again I would like to express my sincere support for this resolution. I would like to thank the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Ney) for bringing this forward, and our distinguished chairman on the Committee on International Relations, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde), for making sure for the people of Iran that we stand with them during this terrible loss of life.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today as a heartfelt supporter of H. Res. 526 which expresses the sympathy of the House of Representatives for the victims of the devastating earthquake that occurred in Bam, Iran on December 26, 2003. It is important that we as a body stand united on issues that may not directly affect us but that are nonetheless very important. I am proud to say that members of this body and this nation as a whole stood up to support our brothers and sisters in Iran when this great tragedy occurred.

The numbers attributed to this earthquake are staggering. In a city with 100,000 residents at the time of the earthquake approximately 40,000 men, women, and children lost their lives due to this disaster. I have heard from many constituents in my district who told me they lost family members in Iran. I was told of some families who even lost as many as thirty-three members of their family. I'm sure this kind of heartbreak was felt throughout the entire Iranian American community.

While the human toll was immense, the sheer destruction of the city of Bam was truly tragic. It is estimated that a full ninety percent of the city was completely destroyed. Unfortunately the historical value of a 2,000 year old city is lost to us forever.

We must take more than sadness away from this tragedy; we must now focus our efforts on how to prevent the deadly effects of future disasters. The amount of casualties in this disaster were far too high. To demonstrate the effect of the quake on this region--as compared to other regions, an earthquake of 6.2 magnitude in Los Angeles on December 23 left a casualty of only two persons as compared to approximately 40,000 in Iran. The number of casualties was so high particularly because of the quality of the local building material consisting of mudbricks, and construction techniques using little reinforcements. We must study ways to protect people throughout the world from being involved in a tragedy like the one in Bam. This is why I have joined the Iran Earthquake Task Force initiated by the Iranian Medical Relief Foundation (IMRF). I

urge all Members of this body to follow suit and pursue actions that will facilitate greater protection from the effects of natural disasters.

We must show the world that we stand with them when tragic natural disasters occur. I was proud to see that so many U.S. based charities and organizations joined the world community to care for those affected by the earthquake. I commend the efforts of so many who took their time and effort to search through the rubble. Their heroic efforts may not have been able to reverse the tragic disaster, but the world realized that we as a nation stand by our humanitarian obligations. I hope we will continue this proud practice whenever events such as this occur.

Mr. Speaker, between Sunday February 29 and Wednesday March 3, 2004, I traveled to Libya as part of a Congressional Delegation led by Representative Weldon and as Member of the House International Relations Committee and the Middle East Subcommittee.

While there, we had the opportunity to meet with Col. Mohammar Qaddafi and members of the Libyan People's Congress to discuss Libya's recent renouncement of state sponsored terror and their development of weapons of mass destruction.

Mr. Speaker, this prospective opening to the West is not a mystical revision, but a practical decision by the Libyan Government. It must be met with an equally practical policy of one very wary step at a time.

While there, it became clear the Libyan possibility for peaceful regime conversion and rehabilitation gravely underscores the inherent stakes of succeeding in the Iraqi regime change and reconstruction. If the latter fails, the former fades, and we are all worse than we were at square one.

Unfortunately, my participation in this trip forced me to miss a few votes.

During this time I missed six recorded votes. If I was present I would have voted the following way:

On H.R. 3769, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 137 East Young High Pike in Knoxville, Tennessee, as the ``Ben Atchley Post Office Building''. Roll Number 32, I would have voted ``yes.''

On H. Res. 526, expressing the sympathy of the House of Representatives for the victims of the devastating earthquake that occurred on December 26, 2003, in Bam, Iran. Roll Number 33, I would have voted ``yes.''

On H. Res 530, urging the appropriate representative of the United States to the 60th session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights to introduce a resolution calling upon the Government of the People's Republic of China to end its human rights violations in China, and for other purposes. Roll Number 34, I would have voted ``yes.''

On H.R. 912, Charles ``Pete'' Conrad Astronomy Awards Act. Roll Number 35, I would have voted ``yes.''

On H.R. 3389, to amend the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 to permit Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Awards to be made to nonprofit organizations. Roll Number 36, I would have voted ``yes.''

On H.R. 1417, Copyright Royalty and Distribution Reform Act of 2003 Roll Number 37, I would have voted ``yes.''