Supporting People Affected By La Soufriere Volcano

Floor Speech

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Ms. PLASKETT. Mr. Speaker, on April 9, La Soufriere volcano on the Caribbean Island of St. Vincent began a series of explosive eruptions. The volcano has erupted several times since that date.

The eruptions have blanketed the island nation with clouds of volcanic ash and hot gas and are so large that they have reached the neighboring island of Barbados, 110 miles away. The eruption has resulted in the evacuation of tens of thousands of people.

Electric outages, destroyed crops and forests, wildlife killed, and water shortages are some of the immediate issues. The 16,000 evacuated residents present dire health issues as people are moved to congregant areas in a community that has had very little vaccination to date.

This natural disaster, along with other struggles brought on by COVID, will cause St. Vincent and the Grenadines to struggle for the next few years. It presents an opportunity for American action with humanitarian disaster relief, support for COVID vaccinations, and future technical assistance.

I am asking this body to use its influence and legislative actions to support St. Vincent, to keep out China and its influence, along with Venezuela, in support of our brothers and sisters.

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