mr. chairman , i move to strike the requisite number of words . 
mr. chairman , i rise today in strong support of this amendment that aims to commit $ 3 million to the united nations population fund ( unfpa ) . 
the unfpa has asked its donor countries for about $ 28 million for women who were victims of the tsunami . 
the money in this amendment is about 11 percent of what they are asking for . 
in january , i visited areas devastated by the tsunami . 
i visited what was left of a three-story maternity hospital . 
three hundred women and infants were located here when the first wave hit . 
the rush of water toppled a high cement fence , knocked down utility polls like toothpicks , and shattered all of the glass windows in the front facade . 
of the 300 women and their babies , all but one -- a newborn -- was saved from the crashing waves . 
we met with one doctor who finished a c-section -- in absolute darkness , after the generators were underwater , as the rest of the building was evacuated . 
the hospital was practically destroyed . 
the beds were pushed and piled against each other by the flooding , and shards of glass crunched under our feet . 
the sheets were strewn about like wet rags , and saturated packages of medicine were thrown in useless piles . 
natural disasters are particularly harsh on pregnant women . 
the loss of medical care and its infrastructure is compounded by malnutrition , disease and the trauma of the disaster . 
these issues can cause miscarriage or early labor , which both require medical care that is unavailable . 
the result can be maternal death . 
the situation that women face in the areas is dire . 
the indonesian midwife association has also reported that 1 , 650 of their 5 , 500 members , that is about 30 percent of their members , died in the tsunami . 
many of the surviving midwives are picking up the pieces of their own lives and dealing with their personal loss . 
reestablishing maternal health services will be a main use of this money , which is of great concern to the region . 
there are 150 , 000 pregnant women in the tsunami-affected areas -- 50 , 000 are scheduled to give birth in the next three months . 
they need personal hygiene kits in refugee camps ; and safe-birthing kits in hospitals , clinics and health centers . 
they need soap and sterile cotton cloth , antibiotics , emergency obstetric equipment , and drugs for treating sexually transmitted infections . 
relief efforts often overlook these supplies , and the unfpa is uniquely prepared to provide them . 
the unfpa has experience working with women in disaster areas : they have participated in emergency projects in more than 50 countries and territories . 
they already have offices in tsunami-affected countries , and they understand the distinctive ways that disasters affect women and children . 
women are more vulnerable to sexual assaults during times of disaster . 
women who are pregnant , nursing , or caring for small children do not have the capacity to stand in line for long periods of time for supplies . 
the funds in this amendment are intended to be used by the unfpa to help women in these circumstances by : providing tools and medicines needed for safe childbirth ; preventing and treating sexual assault ; promoting access to clean water , food and healthcare ; providing sanitary supplies ; and providing psycho-social counseling . 
the tsunami devastated an entire region , and i am glad that this congress is appropriating funds to help address the many issues that the people in region now face . 
it is my hope that my colleagues will vote for this amendment , which will help some of the most vulnerable of the region . 
