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NEW DELHI, INDIA
The hardest hit areas of India were the remote Nicobar and Andaman islands and along the southeastern coast of mainland India. Given the time constraints, we were unable to travel to these areas, but I was able to receive a firsthand account of relief efforts directly from Prime Minister Singh.
It is my belief that a critical aspect of my mission here is my responsibility to report back to Congress and to my constituents the situation in these nations. This trip has given me the opportunity to see the damage firsthand and to talk directly with aid workers on the ground so that we can best decide our next course of action.
Sri Lanka is one of the nations hardest hit by the tsunami. Reports indicate approximately 40,000 people were killed and over 70 percent of the island nation's coastline was impacted.
Today we traveled to the Galle Province of Sri Lanka and met with U.S. Marines and aid workers here on the ground. We visited a tsunami refugee camp where thousands of Sri Lankans who had lost their homes are now sleeping on the floor of a temple.
Today was our first opportunity to tour some of the areas hit by the tsunami. Like everyone, I have been watching television coverage of the disaster, but nothing prepared me for what I saw.
KHAO LAK, THAILAND
"It's nice to see so many people here this evening. I think tonight's turnout not only reflects the strong opposition to the proposals, but also the incredible amount of dedication by all anglers to conservation and management so we can all fish in the future.
Washington, D.C. --- U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) announced today that he plans to join a congressional delegation trip with U.S. Senator Jon Corzine (D-NJ) and U.S. Rep. Christopher Smith (R-NJ) to three of the nations affected by last month's tragic tsunami. The New Jersey congressman is scheduled to leave Saturday, January 8 and will return the following Thursday, January 13.
"Chris Smith has been a strong Republican advocate for veterans in Washington. He put the needs of veterans before party politics, something the House Republican leadership is increasingly unwilling to accept.
"After the 2000 Presidential Election we knew we had to make changes in our elections system so American voters could be confidant that their vote would be registered and counted. The 2000 election taught us that many of our election machines were outdated, and unfortunately, some of our election officials served their political party over the voter who should have the right to vote on Election Day.
Washington, D.C. --- U.S. Reps. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Jerry Weller (R-IL), cochairmen of the Congressional Sri Lankan Caucus, today held a briefing on Capitol Hill today with Sri Lankan Ambassador Devinda Subasinghe to update members of Congress and congressional staff on the devastation and relief efforts in Sri Lanka following last week's earthquake and tsunami. Pallone is scheduled to travel to Sri Lanka next week with a congressional delegation to tour affected areas.
"As the 109th Congress begins, I'd like to think we could restore bipartisanship to the halls of Congress, something that, unfortunately, has been seriously lacking over the last four years. Republicans are not getting off to a good start.