Political Quotes

“Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this timely resolution, and I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, the raging floodwaters that have battered much of Pakistan since late July are at long last finally beginning to recede. But the challenges are no less today than they were earlier this summer. Indeed, if anything, they may be even greater as Pakistan and its friends abroad begin to assess the full magnitude of the economic and human costs of this devastating calamity. The heavy monsoon floods that struck the Indus River and its tributaries have caused enormous damage to the economy and the people of Pakistan. The numbers are staggering. Nearly 20 million people have been affected by the floods, including millions of men, women, and children who have been physically displaced from their homes destroyed by the ravages of the rampaging waters. As one Pakistani commentator has noted, ``In the mounting humanitarian disaster, survivors have been engaged in a desperate daily struggle for food and shelter as well as a battle against deadly disease.'' Pakistan's already shaky economy has been dealt a body blow. Growth is now expected to fall by half, with widespread losses to agriculture and livestock. Meanwhile, the floods have also wreaked havoc on Pakistan's public infrastructure, with bridges and roads cut off, power stations shut down, and gas and petroleum supplies suspended.…”