House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, California Democrat, today said she was concerned about the Burma government's slow response to this weekend's cyclone, which killed nearly 4,000 people this weekend and left tens of thousands missing.

"The regime must show leadership to provide for the basic survival needs of the Burmese people," Pelosi said. "The United States and international organizations are moving rapidly to provide assistance to those suffering but a stronger international effort is needed."

She said Congress would work closely with the administraiton to provide aid to cyclone victims.

"The thoughts of the world are with the people of Burma as they struggle to recover from the catastrophic cyclone this weekend," Mrs. Pelosi said. "It is our hope that the worst in Mother Nature can bring out the best in human nature."

She continued, "Tragedies such as this one remind us of our shared humanity — and that tragedy anywhere affects us all."

— S.A. Miller, Capitol Hill correspondent, The Washington Times