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Congresswoman Waters Urges Assistance for the Philippines

November 12, 2013

Congresswoman Maxine Waters (CA-43) released the following statement regarding the tragedy in the Philippines caused by Typhoon Haiyan:

"My thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families, and the survivors affected by Typhoon Haiyan and for those in my congressional district who have families and loved ones in the Philippines. I stand ready and willing to assist our government's response to alleviate the suffering of the Filipino people.

"We still do not yet know the full extent of the damage, but the United Nations has estimated that more than 11 million people have been affected by the typhoon. The storm is one of the strongest storms to ever hit land and has left 660,000 homeless. The official death toll has surpassed 1,700 and is expected to rise significantly.

"In my district, there are estimated to be over 21,000 Filipino-Americans who greatly contribute to the multicultural fabric that makes the Los Angeles area a great place to live. I look forward to working with the Filipino-American community to ensure that water, food and other assistance gets to people in need and to help with the rescue efforts.

"I am encouraged that the United States government is already providing humanitarian assistance. I urge our international partners to join with us and support humanitarian efforts to help the Filipino people recover from this terrible disaster and pull their communities back together."

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