1.This Act may be cited as the
White House Conference on Haiti Act of
2010
.
2.Congress finds the following:
(1)Haiti is the
poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.
(2)On January 12,
2010, a 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck the country of Haiti.
(3)The earthquake
caused massive devastation across Haiti, destroying government buildings,
hospitals, schools, and vital aid offices including the headquarters of the
United Nations mission to Haiti.
(4)An estimated
3,000,000 people have been directly affected by the disaster in Haiti, nearly
one-third of the country’s population, who are currently at risk of long-term
displacement and vulnerability.
(5)Prior to the
earthquake, Haiti was still in the process of recovering from a recent series
of hurricanes and tropical storms, previous natural disasters, and food
shortages and rising commodity prices, but was showing encouraging signs of
improvement.
(6)President Obama
vowed the unwavering support
of the United States and pledged a
swift, coordinated and aggressive effort to save lives and support the
recovery in Haiti
.
(7)Prior to the
earthquake, there were approximately 10,000 nongovernmental organizations
operating in Haiti.
(8)At least 3,000,000
Haitians live abroad.
(9)Haitians abroad
provide significant capital to local economies in Haiti through travel and
remittances and have the potential to advance reconstruction efforts by
providing needed skills and resources.
(10)The response to
the tragedy from the global community has been overwhelmingly positive.
(11)Individuals,
businesses, and philanthropic organizations across the United States and
throughout the international community have responded in support of Haiti
during this time of crisis.
3.Authorization of
the Conference
(a)Authority To
call conferenceNot later than December 31, 2010, the President
shall call the White House Conference on Haiti (in this Act referred to as the
Conference
) to be convened not later than 6 months after the
selection of the Policy Committee established in section 4, in order to make
fundamental policy recommendations on ways to assist in the recovery and
long-term development of Haiti.
(b)The Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland
Security (in this Act referred to as the Co-chairs
) shall plan,
conduct, and convene the Conference, in consultation with other appropriate
Cabinet members.
(c)The purposes of the Conference are to—
(1)bring attention to
the ongoing challenges facing Haiti and the progress made in its recovery from
the January 12, 2010, earthquake;
(2)promote
collaboration and coordination between the United States Government, foreign
governments, the private sector, international nongovernmental organizations,
and the Haitian diaspora;
(3)identify gaps or
duplication in the provision of humanitarian assistance;
(4)highlight
innovative ideas for sustainable rebuilding and redevelopment in Haiti;
(5)share best
practices in development assistance in Haiti and in nations facing similar
challenges;
(6)develop
opportunities for greater involvement in Haiti’s recovery by the Haitian
diaspora and the private sector;
(7)review the
structure, scope, and effectiveness of existing policies and initiatives by
public and private entities regarding development assistance, stability, and
long-term economic growth in Haiti; and
(8)identify possible
changes to United States immigration, trade, and foreign aid policies that may
assist in a more rapid, sustainable recovery.
4.Policy committee;
related committees
(a)Not
later than June 30, 2010, there is established a Policy Committee comprising of
17 members to be selected as follows:
(1)Nine members shall be selected by the President and
shall include—
(A)3 members who are
officers or employees of the United States; and
(B)6 members with
experience in addressing the needs of disaster-stricken and developing
countries.
(2)
(A)Two members shall be selected by the Speaker of the House
of Representatives after consultation with the chairperson of the Committee on
Foreign Affairs, the chairperson of the Committee on Homeland Security, the
chairperson of the Committee on the Judiciary, the chairperson of the Committee
on Energy and Commerce, and the chairperson of the Committee on Financial
Services, of the House of Representatives.
(B)Selection by
minority leaderTwo members shall be selected by the minority
leader of the House of Representatives, after consultation with the ranking
minority members of such committees.
(3)
(A)Selection by
majority leaderTwo members shall be selected by the majority
leader of the Senate, after consultation with members of the Committee on
Foreign Relations, the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs,
the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and the Committee on
Finance, of the Senate.
(B)Selection by
minority leaderTwo members shall be selected by the minority
leader of the Senate, after consultation with members of such
committees.
(b)
(1)The
Policy Committee shall act by the vote of a majority of the members present. A
quorum of Committee members shall not be required to conduct Committee
business.
(2)The
Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs shall serve as
the chairperson of the Policy Committee. The chairperson may vote only to break
a tie vote of the other members of the Policy Committee.
(c)Duties of the
policy committeeThe Policy Committee shall initially meet at the
call of the Co-chairs, not later than 30 days after the last member is selected
under subsection (a). Subsequent meetings of the Policy Committee shall be held
at the call of the chairperson. Through meetings, hearings, and working
sessions, the Policy Committee shall—
(1)make
recommendations to the Co-chairs to facilitate the timely convening of the
Conference;
(2)submit to the
Co-chairs a proposed agenda for the Conference not later than 90 days after the
first meeting of the Policy Committee;
(3)make
recommendations for the delegates of the Conference;
(4)establish the
number of delegates to be selected under section 5; and
(5)establish an
executive committee consisting of 3 members of the Policy Committee to work
with delegates of the Conference.
5.To carry out the
purposes of the Conference, the Co-chairs shall bring together delegates
representative of the spectrum of thought in the fields of development and
humanitarian assistance, infrastructure development, trade, democratic
strengthening, and Haitian culture and history, without regard to political
affiliation or past partisan activity, who shall include—
(1)representatives of
the United States and international governments;
(2)members of the
Haitian diaspora;
(3)representatives of
international nongovernmental organizations; and
(4)individuals from
private sector entities.
6.Conference
administration
(a)In
administering this section, the Co-chairs shall—
(1)provide written
notice to all members of the Policy Committee of each meeting, hearing, or
working session of such Committee not later than 48 hours before the occurrence
of such meeting, hearing, or working session;
(2)request the
cooperation and assistance of the heads of such other Federal departments and
agencies as may be appropriate, including the detailing of personnel;
(3)make available for
public comment a proposed agenda prepared by the Policy Committee, which will
reflect to the greatest extent possible the major issues facing assistance to
Haiti with the purposes of the Conference set forth in section 3(c);
(4)prepare and make
available background materials that the Co-chairs deem necessary for the use of
delegates to the Conference; and
(5)employ such
additional personnel as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this
Act without regard to provisions of title 5, United States Code, governing
appointments in the competitive service, and without regard to chapter 51 and
subchapter III of chapter 53 of such title relating to classification and
General Schedule pay rates.
(b)In
carrying out the Co-chairs’s responsibilities and functions under this section,
the Co-chairs shall ensure that—
(1)the proposed
agenda prepared under subsection (a)(3) is published in the Federal Register
not later than 30 days after such agenda is approved by the Policy
Committee;
(2)the personnel
employed under subsection (a)(5) are fairly balanced in terms of points of
views represented and are appointed without regard to political affiliation or
previous partisan activities;
(3)the
recommendations of the Conference are not inappropriately influenced by any
public official or by any special interest, but instead are the result of the
independent and collective judgment of the delegates of the Conference;
and
(4)before the
Conference is convened—
(A)current and
adequate statistical data and other information on health and social outcomes
in Haiti, and
(B)such information
as may be necessary to evaluate programs and policies relating to Haiti,
which the
Co-chairs may obtain by making grants to or entering into an agreement with,
public agencies or nonprofit organizations, are readily available in advance of
the Conference to the delegates.(c)The
Co-chairs may accept, on behalf of the United States, gifts (in cash or in
kind, including voluntary and uncompensated services), which shall be available
to carry out this Act. Gifts of cash shall be available in addition to amounts
appropriated to carry out this title. Gifts may be earmarked by the donor or
the executive committee for a specific purpose.
(d)The
Co-chairs shall maintain records regarding—
(1)the sources,
amounts, and uses of gifts accepted under subsection (c); and
(2)the identity of
each person receiving assistance to carry out this Act, and the amount of such
assistance received by each such person.
7.
(a)Not later than 100 days after the Conference adjourns, the
Policy Committee shall prepare a preliminary report on the Conference which
shall be published in the Federal Register and submitted to Members of Congress
and relevant administration officials. The Policy Committee shall request that
Members of Congress and administration officials submit to the Policy
Committee, not later than 45 days after receiving such report, their views and
findings on such report.
(b)Not later than 6 months after the date on which the
Conference adjourns, the Policy Committee shall—
(1)prepare a final
report of the Conference which shall include a compilation of the views and
findings of the Members of Congress and administration officials received under
subsection (a); and
(2)publish in the
Federal Register, and transmit to the President and to Congress, the
recommendations for the administrative action and the legislation necessary to
implement the recommendations contained in such report.
8.
(a)Not later than 1 year after the date on which the
Conference adjourns, the Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and
Public Affairs shall—
(1)prepare a status
report documenting the implementation of the recommendations contained in the
final report described in section 7(b)(1); and
(2)publish in the
Federal Register, and transmit to the President and to Congress, such status
report.
(b)Subsequent
status reportsNot later than 5 years after the date on which the
Conference adjourns, and every 5 years thereafter until all recommendations in
the final report described in section 7(b)(1) are achieved, the Comptroller
General shall—
(1)prepare a status
report documenting the implementation of the recommendations contained in such
final report; and
(2)publish in the
Federal Register, and transmit to the President and to Congress, such status
report.
9.
(a)The Committee on
Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign
Relations of the Senate shall each hold hearings on the recommendations and
status reports received by Congress under sections 7(b)(2), 8(a)(2), and
8(b)(2).
(b)The Committee on Foreign Affairs of the
House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate
shall each hold annual hearings on recovery and long-term development of Haiti.
(c)Exercise of
rulemaking authoritySubsections (a) and (b) are enacted—
(1)as an exercise of
the rulemaking power of the House of Representatives and Senate, and, as such,
they shall be considered as part of the rules of the House or Senate (as the
case may be), and such rules shall supersede any other rule of the House or
Senate only to the extent that rule is inconsistent therewith; and
(2)with full
recognition of the constitutional right of either House to change such rules
(so far as relating to the procedure in such House) at any time, in the same
manner, and to the same extent as in the case of any other rule of the House or
Senate.
10.Authorization of
appropriations
(a)
(1)There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this
Act—
(A)such sums as may
be necessary for the first fiscal year in which the Policy Committee plans the
Conference and for the following fiscal year; and
(B)such sums as may
be necessary for the fiscal year in which the Conference is held.
(2)Any
new spending authority or new authority to enter into contracts under this Act,
and under which the United States is obligated to make outlays, shall be
effective only to the extent, and in such amounts, as are provided in advance
in appropriations Acts.
(b)
(1)Except as provided in paragraph (3), funds appropriated
to carry out this Act and funds received as gifts under section 6(c) shall
remain available for obligation or expenditure until the expiration of the
1-year period beginning on the date the Conference adjourns.
(2)Except as provided in paragraph (3), any such funds neither
obligated nor expended before the expiration of the 1-year period beginning on
the date the Conference adjourns shall be returned to the United States
Treasury.
(3)If the Conference is not convened before December 31,
2010, a trust fund shall be established and such funds shall be deposited in
the trust fund and shall only be available for a future Conference on
Haiti.