Joe Wilson: “As the previous cochair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans, I rise to express our solidarity with…”

“As the previous cochair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans, I rise to express our solidarity with the people of India and the Indian American community in the aftermath of the devastating tsunami that has affected so many nations in the Indian Ocean. Nearly 140,000 people in 11 countries in South Asia and East Africa have died, approximately 3 to 5 million people have been displaced and citizens of over 40 countries have been affected by the tsunami. The most devastating death toll was in the nation of Indonesia, which is appreciated as the world's largest Muslim democracy of nearly a quarter of a billion people. India has nearly 15,000 casualties. In this time of need, the American people and our government are demonstrating the generosity and compassion that have been the hallmark of American society and culture since our Nation's founding. As we grieve for the dead, we must also continue to work hard to save those now living in the wake of this terrible disaster.”