Latest: RPCVs and Peace Corps provide aid Peace Corps made an appeal last week to all Thailand RPCV's to consider serving again through the Crisis Corps and more than 30 RPCVs have responded so far. RPCVs: Read what an RPCV-led NGO is doing about the crisis an how one RPCV is headed for Sri Lanka to help a nation he grew to love. Question: Is Crisis Corps going to send RPCVs to India, Indonesia and nine other countries that need help?

Bush pledges $350 Million in Tsunami Aid, Lawmakers say amount may triple



Bush pledges $350 Million in Tsunami Aid, Lawmakers say amount may triple

Bush Promises Long-Term Effort for Tsunami Victims

Mon Jan 10,11:54 PM ET

By Steve Holland

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush (news - web sites) pledged a long-term U.S. commitment to helping the tsunami-hit nations of South Asia on Monday and said the Banda Aceh area of Indonesia is going to require the most intense effort.

Bush was briefed by Secretary of State Colin Powell on Powell's tour last week of tsunami-hit countries. The White House said that of $350 million pledged by the U.S. government, $78 million had been spent.

Bush left open the possibility of an increase in U.S. assistance but told reporters he wanted to make sure it was "demand-driven" and to "make sure the money that is available actually achieves a coordinated objective."



Lawmakers and congressional aides have said they expected the Bush administration to increase the financial commitment to the region by as much as threefold to nearly $1 billion -- in an emergency budget request to be submitted to Congress in late January or February.

The emergency budget request for tsunami relief is expected to include extra funding to cover the cost of operating the Pentagon (news - web sites)'s military assets in the region -- estimated at $5 million to $6 million a day.

"This is one of these projects that is not going to happen overnight. The intense scrutiny may dissipate, it probably will. But our focus has got to stay on this part of the world. We have a duty," Bush said in remarks to U.S. officials overseeing the aid operation.

Talking to reporters in the Oval Office after his meeting with Powell, Bush said relief efforts had begun to shift from saving lives to rebuilding communities.

HARDEST HIT AREA

The Banda Aceh region of Indonesia was close to the epicenter of the Dec. 26 quake and took the biggest hit from the resulting tsunami. The province has accounted for almost all of Indonesia's 104,000 deaths from an epic disaster that has killed at least 156,000 people.

"Now we're in the process of helping to rehabilitate and reconstruct the societies. And the demand is beginning to focus on the Banda Aceh region. That is part of the world that is going to require the most intense effort by the governments around the world," he said.

In New York, former President Bill Clinton (news - web sites) announced a joint initiative with the United Nations (news - web sites) to raise $45 million to bring safe drinking water and sanitation systems to children and families affected by the tsunami.

Clinton, who was enlisted by Bush along with former President Bush to lead a nationwide appeal for assistance from the U.S. public, said he was confident of reaching the target, given the world outpouring of support.

Clinton and UNICEF (news - web sites), the U.N. Children's Fund, are seeking donations for the Tsunami Water and Sanitation Fund to www.clintonfoundation.org and www.unicefusa.org.

Later on Monday Bush was to meet with experts on the extent of tsunami monitoring around the world and whether the United States has sufficient safeguards to alert the country in the event of a similar natural disaster.

Bush was criticized for his initial reaction to the catastrophe when he pledged $15 million in U.S. government assistance to help tsunami victims but has since mobilized government, military and private aid for the victims.

(Additional reporting by Adam Entous in Washington and Larry Fine in New York)

When this story was posted in January 2005, this was on the front page of PCOL:

Coleman: Peace Corps mission and expansion Senator Norm Coleman, Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee that oversees the Peace Corps, says in an op-ed, A chance to show the world America at its best: "Even as that worthy agency mobilizes a "Crisis Corps" of former Peace Corps volunteers to assist with tsunami relief, I believe an opportunity exists to rededicate ourselves to the mission of the Peace Corps and its expansion to touch more and more lives."

RPCVs active in new session of Congress In the new session of Congress that begins this week, RPCV Congressman Tom Petri has a proposal to bolster Social Security, Sam Farr supported the objection to the Electoral College count, James Walsh has asked for a waiver to continue heading a powerful Appropriations subcommittee, Chris Shays will no longer be vice chairman of the Budget Committee, and Mike Honda spoke on the floor honoring late Congressman Robert Matsui.

---

January 8, 2005: This Week's Top Stories Zambia RPCV Karla Berg interviews 1,374 people on Peace 7 Jan Breaking Taboo, Mandela Says Son Died of AIDS 6 Jan Dreadlocked PCV raises eyebrows in Africa 6 Jan RPCV Jose Ravano directs CARE's efforts in Sri Lanka 6 Jan Persuading Retiring Baby Boomers to Volunteer 6 Jan Inventor of "Drown Proofing" retires 6 Jan NPCA Membership approves Board Changes 5 Jan Timothy Shriver announces "Rebuild Hope Fund" 5 Jan More Water Bottles, Fewer Bullets 4 Jan Poland RPCV Rebecca Parker runs Solterra Books 2 Jan Peace Corps Fund plans event for September 30 Dec RPCV Carmen Bailey recounts bout with cerebral malaria 28 Dec more top stories...

---

Latest: RPCVs and Peace Corps provide aid Peace Corps made an appeal last week to all Thailand RPCV's to consider serving again through the Crisis Corps and more than 30 RPCVs have responded so far. RPCVs: Read what an RPCV-led NGO is doing about the crisis an how one RPCV is headed for Sri Lanka to help a nation he grew to love. Question: Is Crisis Corps going to send RPCVs to India, Indonesia and nine other countries that need help?

The World's Broken Promise to our Children Former Director Carol Bellamy, now head of Unicef, says that the appalling conditions endured today by half the world's children speak to a broken promise. Too many governments are doing worse than neglecting children -- they are making deliberate, informed choices that hurt children. Read her op-ed and Unicef's report on the State of the World's Children 2005.

Changing of the Guard With Lloyd Pierson's departure, Marie Wheat has been named acting Chief of Staff and Chief of Operations responsible for the day-to-day management of the Peace Corps. Although Wheat is not an RPCV and has limited overseas experience, in her two years at the agency she has come to be respected as someone with good political skills who listens and delegates authority and we wish her the best in her new position.

Our debt to Bill Moyers Former Peace Corps Deputy Director Bill Moyers leaves PBS next week to begin writing his memoir of Lyndon Baines Johnson. Read what Moyers says about journalism under fire, the value of a free press, and the yearning for democracy. "We have got to nurture the spirit of independent journalism in this country," he warns, "or we'll not save capitalism from its own excesses, and we'll not save democracy from its own inertia."

RPCV safe after Terrorist Attack RPCV Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley, the U.S. consul general in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia survived Monday's attack on the consulate without injury. Five consular employees and four others were killed. Abercrombie-Winstanley, the first woman to hold the position, has been an outspoken advocate of rights for Arab women and has met with Saudi reformers despite efforts by Saudi leaders to block the discussions.

Is Gaddi Leaving? Rumors are swirling that Peace Corps Director Vasquez may be leaving the administration. We think Director Vasquez has been doing a good job and if he decides to stay to the end of the administration, he could possibly have the same sort of impact as a Loret Ruppe Miller. If Vasquez has decided to leave, then Bob Taft, Peter McPherson, Chris Shays, or Jody Olsen would be good candidates to run the agency. Latest: For the record, Peace Corps has no comment on the rumors.

The Birth of the Peace Corps UMBC's Shriver Center and the Maryland Returned Volunteers hosted Scott Stossel, biographer of Sargent Shriver, who spoke on the Birth of the Peace Corps. This is the second annual Peace Corps History series - last year's speaker was Peace Corps Director Jack Vaughn.

Read the stories and leave your comments.