Washington, DC – Howard L. Berman (D-CA), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, released the following statement today concerning the disaster in Samoa:

“I want to express my deepest condolences to the people of American Samoa and Samoa who have suffered great losses from the tsunami that swept the islands. The losses are staggering. The sympathy of the Foreign Affairs Committee is with our good friend and the chairman of the Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific and the Global Environment, Eni Faleomavaega, the delegate from American Samoa. We commend him for his efforts and extend our fullest support during this trying time.”