[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 471 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 471

    Congratulating the people of Haiti on the bicentennial of their 
                             independence.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           November 21, 2003

Mr. Rush submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                  Committee on International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
    Congratulating the people of Haiti on the bicentennial of their 
                             independence.

Whereas January 1, 2004, marks the bicentennial of the independence of the 
        Republic of Haiti;
Whereas the House of Representatives pay tribute to the people of Haiti the 
        first Black Republic in the world and the only country to gain its 
        freedom from a successful slave revolt;
Whereas the House of Representatives honors the ``slave soldiers'' of Haiti, who 
        fought alongside the United States Army at the battle of Savannah in 
        1778, for their remarkable spirit and courage;
Whereas the victory of the Haitian Army over the powerful French Army on 
        November 18, 1803, under the direction of Napoleon Bonaparte, has come 
        to signify that all men are born free;
Whereas the Louisiana purchase in 1803 is a direct result of the victory of the 
        Haitian army over the French Army, a defeat that weakened the French 
        state;
Whereas the successful Haitian Revolution on January 1, 1804, had planted the 
        seed to eradicate slavery and encourage the pursuit of equal rights for 
        mankind;
Whereas the Republic of Haiti devoted a great deal of its resources to assist 
        many countries of the Western Hemisphere, particularly those in Latin 
        America, overcome colonization;
Whereas the Republic of Haiti has paid a great price, in that thousands of 
        people lost their lives and the young nation was imposed an indemnity of 
        150,000,000 francs for refusing to accept the existence of slavery as a 
        humane condition; and
Whereas the Haitian Revolution ignited a movement toward independence throughout 
        the world in the 19th and 20th centuries: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives encourages all of the 
citizens of the United States of America to join the people of the 
Republic of Haiti in celebrating their bicentennial of independence and 
to recognize the courage and spirit of the Republic of Haiti for having 
spearheaded the battle for human rights.
                                 <all>