[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 372 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 372

    Expressing the sense of Congress with respect to the urgency of 
           cessation of hostilities in the Republic of Haiti.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 26, 2004

Mr. Hastings of Florida submitted the following concurrent resolution; 
     which was referred to the Committee on International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
    Expressing the sense of Congress with respect to the urgency of 
           cessation of hostilities in the Republic of Haiti.

Whereas, as the Western Hemisphere's second-oldest democracy, wrestled from the 
        clutches of European colonialism in 1804 by African slaves, the current 
        hostilities in the Republic of Haiti are of great concern;
Whereas a peaceful and democratic solution is needed to restore stability in 
        Haiti;
Whereas the people of the United States eagerly support a peaceful transition to 
        a representative government in Haiti;
Whereas ongoing political crisis in Haiti has devastated the country's economy, 
        social fabric, and the livelihoods of its people, leaving Haitians with 
        a ruined economy and barely functioning physical infrastructure, few 
        resources or the basic necessities to maintain life, and an insolvent 
        government;
Whereas immediate emergency food assistance for Haiti is urgently needed to meet 
        the basic nutritional sustenance of the people of Haiti, especially 
        mothers and children, and to relieve the extreme physical suffering of 
        the people of Haiti, including their susceptibility to diseases, such as 
        HIV/AIDS; and
Whereas concerted international efforts will be required to develop the economic 
        and political institutions necessary to permit Haiti to sustain its 
        population and restore economic, social, and political progress: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That Congress--
            (1) supports the long quest for peace, justice, and 
        prosperity of the people of the Republic of Haiti;
            (2) implores all sides involved in Haiti's current 
        political crisis to rely on dialogue and negotiations to affect 
        political change;
            (3) calls on Haitian President Aristide to announce early 
        elections that will serve democracy, the Haitian Constitution, 
        and give a voice to all the people;
            (4) commends the Haitian communities in exile for 
        continuing to strive for peace and democracy in Haiti, 
        sustaining families in Haiti that are unable to survive 
        economically with financial remittances, and for providing 
        steadfast advocacy for Haiti;
            (5) calls on the United States Government to--
                    (A) assume a leadership role in the international 
                community to end the violence in Haiti and assist with 
                a subsequent peace agreement, to provide for political 
                transition and establishment of a sustainable democracy 
                with good governance in Haiti, and establish an 
                economic reconstruction processes for Haiti; and
                    (B) play a strong and proactive role in developing 
                peace and reconciliation initiatives in furtherance of 
                an enduring solution to the on-going crisis in Haiti;
            (6) calls on the Secretary of State to--
                    (A) request a special session of the United Nations 
                General Assembly to consider whether the United Nations 
                should organize a peace-building mission to Haiti;
                    (B) provide leadership and participate in 
                negotiations; and
                    (C) seek, through diplomacy and negotiations, an 
                accord that ends the conflict in Haiti, bringing peace 
                to its people, and establishing an environment 
                conducive to the maintenance of regional security, 
                political stability, democracy and governance, the 
                observation of human rights, and the pursuit of 
                economic growth, development and trade;
            (7) calls on the Secretary of Defense to play a lead role 
        in establishing and, if necessary, deploying an international 
        stabilization force to Haiti;
            (8) requests the Administrator of the United States Agency 
        for International Development (USAID) to--
                    (A) commit to providing humanitarian assistance to 
                the people of Haiti to save lives, alleviate suffering, 
                and mitigate the impact of the emergency situations 
                emerging from the crisis, including providing emergency 
                food, supplies, and commodities; and
                    (B) coordinate relief efforts with national and 
                international nongovernmental organizations and other 
                donors;
            (9) urges the international community to--
                    (A) provide support for peacekeeping operations in 
                Haiti to end the violence, achieve peace, and restore 
                stability; and
                    (B) support humanitarian efforts to meet the urgent 
                and dire needs of the Haitian people and to consult and 
                cooperate closely with the appropriate Haitian leaders 
                and civil society representatives as well as other 
                governments and international organizations; and
            (10) urges the United Nations to--
                    (A) to adopt a resolution to establish a United 
                Nations mission for Haiti that will work to establish 
                and ensure a long-term peace in Haiti; and
                    (B) to deploy a peacekeeping and human rights 
                presence in Haiti in order to develop and implement a 
                plan that measurably builds the capacity of the 
                Government of Haiti to respond to and meet the rights 
                of its citizens, including, the right to health, water, 
                education, life, security of person, and due process.
                                 <all>