Expressing condolences and sympathy to the people of Burma for the grave loss of life and vast destruction caused by Cyclone Nargis.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my good friend, Representative Faleomavaega, for not only yielding me the time but for working with us on this important resolution. I also want to thank his staff who has worked with my staff in an expeditious way to get this resolution to the floor as soon as possible. I want to thank the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee as well, Congressman Berman, and Ranking Member Ros-Lehtinen, and the other members of the committee for their quick movement on this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my deepest condolences and sympathy to the people of Burma for the grave loss of life and vast destruction caused by Cyclone Nargis.

Burma was hit by the cyclone more than 10 days ago, and its impact has been nothing but devastating. To date, it has claimed an estimated 100,000 lives. It has robbed more than a million people of their homes, and tens of thousands of people are still missing and unaccounted for, while millions are struggling to survive without access to clean water, food, or shelter.

Shamefully, the military junta of Burma, showing no regard for the lives of their fellow Burmese, did little to warn the people in the cyclone's path that the cyclone was coming, and they have done little to help their own people in the aftermath of this natural disaster.

Instead of providing much-needed emergency humanitarian aid to its people, the junta pushed forward with an election to pass their sham constitutional referendum. At a time when all resources should have been focused on saving the lives of survivors struggling

to find food and clean water to stave off starvation, disease and death, the regime deployed personnel to campaign in favor of the referendum, man polling stations, and fill state television with images of dancing girls urging people to vote in favor of their referendum.

Aside from failing to use their own resources to help the people, the junta would not even accept outside resources to aid the devastated communities in the aftermath of the cyclone.

Immediately after the cyclone hit, the United States embassy in Burma authorized $250,000 in emergency assistance, as it does whenever such an emergency takes place around the world.

President Bush also swiftly followed by pledging an additional $3 million, the assistance of the U.S. Navy assets in the region, a disaster assessment team and any additional aid that would be needed. And the United States Agency For International Development Administrator Henrietta H. Fore announced an additional $13 million in aid to Burma, bringing the total value of U.S. Government assistance to more than $16.3 million.

Yet most of those funds and offers have gone unaccepted. To date the junta has allowed only one plane load of U.S. emergency aid to enter the country, and it is unclear if that reached the survivors at all.

While estimates from the international humanitarian organization in Burma reveal that more than 1.5 million people are on the brink of death unless aid reaches them immediately, the Burmese military regime continues to deny international aid workers entry in the country.

Yesterday, at a meeting in Rangoon, a Burmese cabinet minister told relief agencies that foreign aid workers are prohibited from entering the disaster zone, and must present all of their supplies to the military for distribution.

The regime does not have the capacity or skills to handle this major humanitarian crisis, yet it continues to deny visas to disaster assessment teams that can help. It has allowed only the smallest trickle of international aid into the country. At this point, in the post-tsunami relief operation, the hard hit region of Aceh was receiving one aid flight every single hour. In Burma, the regime is only allowing three or four flights a day, after not allowing any in the first five days after the cyclone hit.

Efforts to ensure aid reaches the survivors of the cyclone are continually hampered by military officials who will not allow aid workers, foreigners, diplomats or journalists, or even ordinary Burmese who want to help their fellow citizens access to the hardest hit areas. Many of the affected communities have received no aid from the regime or any aid agency.

To make matters worse, it is being reported that the junta is also selling aid supplies to local markets. Mr. Speaker, that is simply unacceptable.

Just yesterday, China experienced its own natural disaster, a massive earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale, and our hearts go out to the victims of that disaster. But China, unlike the junta in Burma, immediately acted to help the victims and the citizens of its country.

Countries that have the capacity to react to a natural disaster and provide aid to its citizens have a moral obligation to do so. China's actions in the United Nations Security Council to prevent efforts to invoke the responsibility to protect in Burma is appalling.

It is truly saddening, but not surprising, to see the Burmese junta turn a blind eye to its own people. The United States, along with the international community, understands the gravity of the situation, even if the military regime in Burma does not. Even in the wake of one of the most deadly natural disasters they refused to provide the proper humanitarian assistance needed to ensure the health and survival of their own citizens.

Mr. Speaker, the bill before us is about making clear to the people of Burma that we stand with them, and that we will continue push the junta to accept our assistance to help those in need.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1181) expressing condolences and sympathy to the people of Burma for the grave loss of life and vast destruction caused by Cyclone Nargis.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution, and I yield myself such time as I may consume.

First of all, Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the distinguished gentlemen of this committee of the House, the Foreign Affairs Committee, Mr. Berman, and our senior ranking member, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen, for their leadership and support of this legislation. I would also like to thank our distinguished colleague, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Crowley) for being the lead sponsor of this proposed resolution.

Mr. Speaker, the long-suffering people of Myanmar are once again gripped by tragedy. On May 2, Cyclone Nargis slammed into Myanmar, ripping through the southern part of the country and leaving a path of enormous devastation.

The United Nations reports that so far the cyclone has killed between 60,000 to 100,000 people and affected well over one million. Hundreds of thousands of people are without food, fuel, clean water and shelter. As high as the death toll is now, the greater fear, Mr. Speaker, is that disease, like cholera, will spread in the affected areas, taking many more lives. Aid agencies

claim that one million people could die if measures are not taken to stem the effect of diseases.

Such a large-scale tragedy demands a large-scale relief effort, and the international community is ready to assist the people of Myanmar. But sadly, it is Myanmar's own government that is slowing the delivery of aid.

As we stand here today, Myanmar's military rulers are refusing to allow the necessary number of foreign assistance teams and programs and aid groups to enter the country. Only yesterday was the first U.S. airplane allowed to deliver aid. This relatively small shipment is a fraction of the overall effort that the United States is ready to provide. We have airplanes, we have helicopters, ships, ready to deliver goods and relief teams, but Myanmar's military rulers have refused even as their people continue to suffer.

Mr. Speaker, the United States is not being singled out. Dozens of governments and nongovernmental aid groups from other countries are likewise prohibited from traveling to Myanmar. As a result, only a small fraction of the affected areas are receiving any assistance at all. And with each hour of delay, the people of Myanmar continue to suffer.

In the midst of this tragedy, the Myanmar military rulers decided to make an even greater display of their total disregard for the health and safety of the people of Myanmar. Last week, sadly, the Myanmar Government went ahead and conducted a scheduled referendum on a proposed constitution in the nonaffected areas. Then they plan to hold another referendum in the affected areas some time later this month. Mr. Speaker, I submit the constitution and the referendum are a sham, and the process is another effort on the part of the military rulers to continue their control over the people and their government.

But even if the constitution was legitimate, the decision to go forward with the referendum as millions of the people of Myanmar are fighting for survival totally defies any sense of logic and is a denial of human dignity.

Mr. Speaker, the spectacle of the referendum was chilling, even by the low standards the military leaders have set. State-run television showed clips of generals at the ballot box as corpses continued to pile high along the banks and the river beds in the south region of the country.

With this resolution, the House of Representatives calls upon Myanmar to put the needs of its people first and call off the constitutional referendum and accept international assistance.

H. Res. 1181 also expresses our deepest condolences and sympathy to the people of Myanmar for the great loss of life and their continued suffering, and offers our full support and solidarity.

Mr. Speaker, this resolution also expresses confidence in the people of Myanmar that they will overcome this terrible tragedy. May I say, Mr. Speaker, I would like to make this special appeal, a special appeal to the president of the People's Republic of China to bear the strongest possible influence upon the military leaders of Myanmar to stop this insanity and let these governments and aid agencies come forth and to give assistance to the people of Myanmar.

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

Mr. Speaker, it is with pleasure that I yield 6 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from New York (Mr. Crowley), the chief sponsor of this proposed legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I yield for the purpose of making a unanimous consent request to the gentleman from California (Mr. Berman), chairman of our House Foreign Affairs Committee.

(Mr. BERMAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

I also yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, due to illness, I was unable to participate in the following votes. If I had been present, I would have voted as follows:

May 13, 2008: Rollcall vote 306, on motion to suspend the rules and agree--H. Res. 1181, Expressing condolences and sympathy to the people of Burma for the grave loss of life and vast destruction caused by Cyclone Nargis--I would have voted ``aye.''

Rollcall vote 307, on motion to suspend the rules and pass--H.R. 6022, Strategic Petroleum Reserve Fill Suspension and Consumer Protection Act--I would have voted ``aye.''

Rollcall vote 308, on motion to suspend the rules and pass--H.R. 4008, Credit and Debit Card Receipt Clarification Act of 2007--I would have voted ``aye.''

May 14, 2008: Rollcall vote 309, question of consideration on the role--H. Res. 1189, providing for consideration of the conference report to accompany H.R. 2419, the Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act-- I would have voted ``nay.''

Rollcall vote 310, on ordering the previous question on the rule--H. Res. 1189, providing for consideration of the conference report to accompany H.R. 2419, the Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act--I would have voted ``nay.''

Rollcall vote 311, on agreeing to the resolution--H. Res. 1189, providing for consideration of the conference report to accompany H.R. 2419, the Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act--I would have voted ``nay.''

Rollcall vote 312, on motion to suspend the rules and agree--H. Res. 1134, Supporting the goals and ideals of Mental Health Month--I would have voted ``aye.''

Rollcall vote 313, on motion to suspend the rules and agree--H. Res. 1176, Supporting the goals and ideals of National Train Day--I would have voted ``aye.''

Rollcall vote 314, on motion to recommit conference report with instructions--H.R. 2410, the Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act--I would have voted ``aye.''

Rollcall vote 315, on agreeing to the conference report--H.R. 2410, the Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act--I would have voted ``nay.''

Rollcall vote 316, on motion to suspend the rules and agree to, as amended--H. Res. 1133, Congratulating Winona State University on winning the 2008 Division II men's basketball championships--I would have voted ``aye.''

Rollcall vote 317, on ordering the previous question--H. Res. 1190, Providing for the adoption of the concurrent resolution, S. Con. Res. 70, the Congressional Budget Act--I would have voted ``nay.''

Rollcall vote 318, on agreeing to the resolution--H. Res. 1190, Providing for the adoption of the concurrent resolution, S. Con. Res. 70, the Congressional Budget Act--I would have voted ``nay.''

Rollcall vote 319, on motion to suspend the rules and agree to--H. Res. 1173, Recognizing AmeriCorps Week--I would have voted ``nay.''

Rollcall vote 320, on motion to instruct the conferees on--H.R. 4040, Consumer Product Safety Commission Reform Act--I would have voted ``aye.''

Rollcall vote 321, on motion to instruct the conferees on--S. Con. Res. 70, the Congressional Budget Resolution--I would have voted ``aye.''

Rollcall vote 322, on motion to suspend the rules and agree to, as amended--H. Res. 789, Honoring public child welfare agencies, nonprofit organizations and private entities providing services for foster children--I would have voted ``aye.''

May 15, 2008: Rollcall vote 323, on ordering the previous question-- H. Res. 1197, Providing for consideration of the Senate amendment to H.R. 2642, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Act--I would have voted ``nay.''

Rollcall vote 324, on agreeing to the resolution--H. Res. 1197, Providing for consideration of the Senate amendment to H.R. 2642, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Act--I would have voted ``nay.''

Rollcall vote 325, on motion to suspend the rules and pass, as amended--H.R. 5614, Original Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle Ultra-High Relief Palladium Bullion Coin Act--I would have voted ``aye.''

Rollcall vote 326, on motion to suspend the rules and pass, as amended--H.R. 406, Alice Paul Women's Suffrage Congressional Gold Medal Act--I would have voted ``aye.''

Rollcall vote 327, on motion to suspend the rules and pass, as amended--H.R. 5872, Boy Scouts of America Centennial Commemorative Coin Act--I would have voted ``aye.''

Rollcall vote 328, on agreeing to the Senate amendment with amendment No. 1--H.R. 2642, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Act--I would have voted ``present.''

Rollcall vote 329, on agreeing to the Senate amendment with amendment No. 2--H.R. 2642, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Act--I would have voted ``nay.''

Rollcall vote 330, on agreeing to the Senate amendment with amendment No. 3--H.R. 2642, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Act--I would have voted ``nay.''

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

Mr. Speaker, I stand also in support of House Resolution 1181 authored by my good friend from New York (Mr. Crowley), and which I am proud to cosponsor, that addresses the tragic loss of life in Burma due to the devastation of the recent cyclone.

The suffering caused there is heart wrenching, with the number of estimated dead nearing 100,000, and with at least 1 million people left homeless.

The secretive and corrupt military junta in Burma has made a determination of exact figures on the loss of life and of those in desperate need of assistance nearly impossible to estimate. Millions are reportedly at immediate risk of disease or hunger.

Many have publicly criticized the Burmese regime in the cyclone's aftermath, pointing out that Burma's state-run radio failed to issue a timely warning to its citizens in the storm's path, despite information it received from neighboring countries.

United Nations agencies temporarily suspended relief flights last week after reports that the junta had impounded two plane loads of supplies and that the Burmese troops were pilfering the assistance already on the ground. What kind of regime steals the food literally out of the mouths of starving babies? The answer is the one in Burma today.

The first U.S. relief aircraft, loaded with 28,000 pounds of supplies, including water, mosquito netting and blankets, was allowed to land in Burma on Monday. This is in keeping with the wide-hearted generosity of the American people to those who are in need anywhere in the globe. It is in keeping with Ronald Reagan's famous dictum that ``a hungry child knows no politics.''

Disaster relief experts from the United States and other countries are ready to head to Burma to prevent what could become an even greater calamity affecting millions of people. The Burmese regime, however, is still refusing to issue them visas.

The insistence by the junta that it will distribute all supplies itself raises grave concerns, given the regime's past track record of thievery and indifference to the welfare of its own people. It is time for Burma to let the relief workers and journalists inside. The generals must put aside, for once, their own selfish ambitions and must start thinking of the good of their own people. The prospects for this, however, remain grim. This is, after all, the same regime that callously shot monks and other peaceful demonstrators on the streets of Burma's cities last fall during the Saffron Revolution. The generals, unfortunately, are likely to turn a deaf ear to the cries of their own people.

This Congress, however, should not and must not be deaf to the cries of the suffering men, women and children in Burma. It is essential that the House speak today in a strong and unified voice and pass Mr. Crowley's important resolution. The American people would expect no less, and the Burmese people will be forever grateful.

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

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Manzullo) be allowed to manage the remainder of our time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 1181, expressing condolences and sympathy to the people of Burma for the grave loss of life and vast destruction caused by Cyclone Nargis. I would like to thank my colleague Representative Crowley of New York for introducing this important legislation that reaffirms the commitment of the United States to the people of Burma who have been victims of the natural disaster caused by Cyclone Nargis.

Mr. Speaker, Burma has been a region of serious political unrest and economic changes. As my colleagues may know, in the evening of May 2, 2008, Cyclone Nargis struck the coast of Burma leaving in its wake catastrophic destruction. It was reported that an estimated 1.5 million people were severely affected by the cyclone. With winds reaching 190 kilometers per hour and an 11.5 foot storm surge that swept across affected areas, the world could only fathom the damage that was inflicted in horror. It has been projected that the damage caused by the cyclone significantly exceeds the government's ability to provide full relief for the victims and it has indicated its acceptance of assistance from the international community.

It is my sincere hope that the military-backed caretaker government currently in power in Burma will promptly lift the state of emergency in the remaining regions and move expeditiously to allow foreigners to administer vital care and aid to the people. At this dire state, our deepest concerns in supplying aid to all the people affected should be directed to Burma's willingness to openly allow international efforts.

In this key period of political change, one that will hopefully allow for a more free and fair democratic Burma, the nation has been hit by an unthinkable natural disaster that has affected the country. The country's infrastructure is in shambles and it is estimated that there are 22,000 dead with 41,000 missing. In the midst of the rice shortages that South Asia is experiencing, the most productive agricultural lands and crops of Burma have also been destroyed. It will take an estimated two years for Burma to be able to produce food for its people and will need continued assistance and support throughout that time.

As a member of the international community, it is in the best interest to provide humanitarian services and aid to those in need in Burma. The United States must offer its full support and continued aid in restoring the country's self-sufficient agricultural sector to reduce the strain on food shortages in the entire region. It is imperative to cultivate harmonious relations between the United States government and that of Burma to help facilitate the mission of international peace.

I believe that it is crucial that the United States government express its heartfelt sympathy and support to the people of Burma in the wake of this terrible disaster. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation and to further their efforts to ensuring the complete restoration of the well-being of Burma.