U.S. Congressman Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09) today attended a prayer service at Ulu Cami Mosque in Paterson to hear directly from Turkish and Syrian Americans on the devastating earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria last week.

Congressman Pascrell unveiled at the service several federal actions he is championing to provide meaningful relief to those affected by the disaster. Specifically, Congressman Pascrell unveiled an effort by 34 Members of Congress demanding continued USAID assistance for the affected region and announced that a House resolution was introduced today that, among other items, calls on the Biden Administration to provide full-fledged support for the victims and their families. Rep. Pascrell swiftly mourned those lost as a result of the devastating earthquake in the region.

The House resolution text is available here. The text of the letter to USAID is provided below.

February 17, 2023

Samantha Power, Administrator

United States Agency for International Development (USAID)

1300 Pennsylvania Ave, N.W.

Washington, D.C., 20004

Dear Administrator Power,

We write following the devastating earthquake and aftershocks that rocked south Türkiye and northwest Syria and killed more than 41,000 people and with tens of thousands more injured.

We commend USAID and the United States government’s swift response to the humanitarian crisis. By deploying a Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) and courageous Urban Search and Rescue Teams from Los Angeles County, California and Fairfax County, Virginia, within hours of the earthquake, your agency’s rapid action will unquestionably save lives.

Before the earthquake, Türkiye was already facing severe economic and refugee crises. Many of the 3.6 million Syrian refugees that Türkiye generously hosts reside in the South near the earthquake’s epicenter. Tens of thousands have been killed and injured in Türkiye alone, and as a result of destroyed buildings and infrastructure, widespread outages of utilities and vital services will inflict further suffering. With no heat, families will have to endure freezing temperatures and heavy winds with rain or snow without adequate shelter.

With many of the affected victims in rebel-controlled northwestern Syria, political dynamics have made aid delivery even more difficult. 12 years of conflict have left civilians in the region, especially women and children, particularly vulnerable, and thus far, search and rescue teams have only reached a small percentage of the affected areas. Without sustained access to humanitarian assistance and basic services, close collaboration with partners in northwestern Syria, including the Syrian Civil Defense (White Helmets) and the Syrian American Medical Society, will be essential.

Even as nongovernmental organizations are striving to ensure the safety of their staff and process the shock and loss of this disaster, they continue to support their communities, and have identified the following urgent needs in order to navigate the ongoing crisis and further aid the affected victims.

1. Heavy machinery for the removal of debris

2. Additional tents, sleeping bags, isolation sheets and Non-Food Items

3. Items to protect against freezing temperatures such as winter coats, winter pants,

winter boots, portable and pocket heaters

4. The provision of energy supplies, including for hospitals and health centers

5. Emergency food assistance

6. Water trucks and sanitation services for temporary shelters to house displaced people

7. Further ambulances and medicine provisions (especially trauma supplies); such supplies include Electrocardiogram (ECG) devices, defibrillators, portable

ultrasound machines, glucometers, surgical kits, power generation for hospital and other

humanitarian needs

8. The establishment of safe spaces equipped with basic needs for women

9. Increased cash distributions

10. Full funding of the Syria Humanitarian Response Plan (2022-2023), a plan already severely underfunded with less than 50% of the required $4 billion fulfilled

We appreciate USAID’s expeditious response and for your attention to meet these requests and support ongoing efforts by partners in the region that include: search and rescue efforts, the funding of humanitarian response plans, the provision of water and sanitation services, an increase in food security and nutrition programs, the establishment of safe temporary housing for displaced families and field hospitals to assist those injured in the earthquake, and continued support for needs existing prior to the disaster.

We respectfully request USAID continue to brief House of Representatives and Senate offices on the ongoing relief efforts and funding levels needed to sustain such U.S. assistance.

Thank you for your time and consideration of this request. We stand by for any support we can provide to the Agency and those impacted by this disaster.

Sincerely,