Mourning the horrific loss of life caused by the floods and mudslides that occurred in October 2005 in…

States that Congress: (1) mourns the horrific loss of life caused by the October 2005 floods and mudslides in Central America and Mexico, and expresses its deep condolences to the the victims' families; (2) commits to provide the necessary resources for the relief and rebuilding of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Mexico; (3) applauds the prompt humanitarian response by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the U.S. Armed Forces and other U.S. departments and agencies, the United Nations and other international organizations, and nongovernmental organizations; (4) recognizes the growing international relief effort; (5) urges immediate and long-term infrastructure assistance, with special emphasis on emergency preparedness; and (6) encourages the Administration and other international donors to provide immediate and long-term assistance for infrastructure reconstruction.

Expresses the sense of Congress that it should be U.S. policy: (1) to promote economic growth and improved living standards, reduce poverty, and promote democracy and the rule of law in Central America; (2) in concert with multilateral humanitarian organizations, the Organization of American States (OAS), and the Inter-American Development Bank to support the reconstruction of affected communities; (3) to expedite humanitarian relief and reconstruction efforts to mitigate the immediate and long-term threats to public health, economic development, and security in Central America; (4) to provide technical assistance to Central American governments to strengthen the disaster preparedness capacity of first responders and governmental institutions; and (5) to encourage the governments of these countries to improve disaster mitigation techniques and compliance among key societal sectors.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov