For Immediate Release
December 29, 2004

U.S. Committed to Aiding Tsunami Victims
Fact of the Day

President Bush is committed to helping the countries affected by the recent earthquake and tsunami in the Indian Ocean. Australia, India, Japan, and the United States have formed an international coalition to help coordinate relief efforts. The United States has made an initial pledge of $35 million. In addition, disaster experts, a Marine expeditionary unit, the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln, and the Maritime pre-position squadron from Guam have been dispatched to the area. In 2004 alone, the United States contributed $2.4 billion to emergency humanitarian efforts, representing 40 percent of the total world contribution to emergency aid this year.

Source: The White House