[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 12 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

113th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 12

Recognizing the third anniversary of the tragic earthquake in Haiti on 
     January 12, 2010, honoring those who lost their lives in that 
  earthquake, and expressing continued solidarity with the people of 
                                 Haiti.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

             January 24 (legislative day, January 3), 2013

 Mr. Nelson (for himself, Mrs. Gillibrand, Mr. Lautenberg, Mr. Cardin, 
  Mr. Durbin, Ms. Warren, Ms. Landrieu, and Mr. Harkin) submitted the 
 following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign 
                               Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Recognizing the third anniversary of the tragic earthquake in Haiti on 
     January 12, 2010, honoring those who lost their lives in that 
  earthquake, and expressing continued solidarity with the people of 
                                 Haiti.

Whereas, on January 12, 2010, an earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale 
        struck the country of Haiti, followed by 59 aftershocks measuring 4.5 or 
        greater;
Whereas more than 220,000 people died as a result of the earthquake, more than 
        300,000 people were injured, and more than 3,000,000 people were 
        directly affected by the disaster;
Whereas the total cost in terms of human lives, infrastructure damage, and 
        economic losses makes the earthquake one of the worst urban disasters in 
        modern history;
Whereas President Barack Obama vowed the ``unwavering support'' of the United 
        States Government and pledged a ``swift, coordinated, and aggressive 
        effort to save lives and support the recovery in Haiti'';
Whereas the initial emergency response of the men and women of the United States 
        Government, led by the United States Agency for International 
        Development and United States Southern Command, was swift and resolute;
Whereas the Haitian diaspora, other individuals, businesses, and philanthropic 
        organizations throughout the United States and the international 
        community overwhelmingly responded to the crisis by sending emergency 
        relief supplies and significant financial contributions;
Whereas the Senate passed 3 successive resolutions expressing its profound 
        sympathy and unwavering support for the people of Haiti and urging all 
        nations to assist the people of Haiti with their long-term needs;
Whereas, 3 years later, significant challenges still remain in Haiti as it works 
        to recover and rebuild;
Whereas, according to the International Organization for Migration, 
        approximately 360,000 people remain in spontaneous and organized camps 
        in Haiti and hundreds of thousands of poor people in Haiti continue to 
        live in non-permanent housing, conditions that make them vulnerable to 
        future natural disasters;
Whereas, according to an independent panel investigation by the United Nations, 
        on October 19, 2010, an imported strain of cholera was detected in the 
        Lower Artibonite region of Haiti;
Whereas, according to the Haitian Ministry of Public Health and Population, as 
        of December 31, 2012, more than 7,900 people in Haiti have died from 
        cholera and more than 635,000 have been infected with the disease since 
        the earthquake on January 12, 2010;
Whereas the United Nations Secretary-General announced a plan to eliminate 
        cholera from the island of Hispaniola through enhanced treatment and 
        prevention efforts and through the development of clean water and 
        sanitation infrastructure that is accessible to all people in Haiti;
Whereas gender-based violence against women and girls in Haiti continues to be a 
        chronic problem, and judicial barriers that have prevented victims from 
        finding redress remain a significant issue of concern;
Whereas, in 2012 alone, Haiti faced a long drought period and 2 major tropical 
        storms that destroyed 70 percent of agricultural crops in Haiti, 
        impacting the lives of millions of people in Haiti facing food 
        insecurity and further crippling the economy of Haiti;
Whereas the sustained assistance to Haiti from the United States and the 
        international community bolsters the efforts of the Government of Haiti 
        to confront these challenges; and
Whereas, since the earthquake on January 12, 2010, the people of Haiti have 
        demonstrated unwavering resilience, dignity, and courage: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) mourns the loss of lives as a result of the tragic 
        earthquake in Haiti on January 12, 2010, and the subsequent 
        cholera epidemic;
            (2) honors the sacrifice made by the men and women of the 
        Government of Haiti, civil society, the United States 
        Government, the United Nations, and the international community 
        in their response to those affected by the calamity;
            (3) reaffirms its solidarity with the Government and people 
        of Haiti as they work to rebuild their country and livelihoods;
            (4) supports the long-term reconstruction efforts of the 
        United States Government to improve housing, energy, job 
        creation, food security, health care, education, governance, 
        and rule of law in Haiti in full cooperation with the 
        Government of Haiti and civil society, and with the support of 
        the private sector;
            (5) urges the President and the international community to 
        continue--
                    (A) to focus assistance on increasing the capacity 
                of the public sector of Haiti to sustainably provide 
                services to the people of Haiti;
                    (B) to develop, improve, and increase communication 
                and participation to more substantially involve civil 
                society in Haiti and the Haitian diaspora at all stages 
                of the post-earthquake response;
                    (C) to provide programs that protect and involve 
                vulnerable populations, including internally displaced 
                persons, children, women and girls, and persons with 
                disabilities; and
                    (D) to work to enhance the ability of the 
                Government of Haiti, at all stages of the democratic 
                process, to improve economic development, attract 
                private sector investment, pursue judicial reform, 
                enhance the rule of law, reduce incidences of gender-
                based violence, improve water and sanitation systems, 
                develop a civil registry, and reform land tenure 
                policies;
            (6) welcomes evidence of progress in building a better 
        future for Haiti, including--
                    (A) significant improvements in agricultural yields 
                via the Feed the Future initiative;
                    (B) the opening of the Caracol Industrial Park in 
                northern Haiti, which is projected to create 
                approximately 20,000 jobs by 2016;
                    (C) programs to support economic opportunities for 
                women and survivors of sexual violence through 
                microcredit, short term jobs programs and leadership 
                training, health services, and reintegration and 
                repatriation assistance to Haitian migrants;
                    (D) the reduction of the cholera mortality rate to 
                lower than one percent, and the provision of 
                sophisticated HIV and AIDS prevention and treatment 
                services; and
                    (E) the recruitment, training, and provisioning of 
                new officers for the Haitian National Police; and
            (7) urges the President--
                    (A) to continue reconstruction and development 
                efforts, closely coordinated with the Government of 
                Haiti, the Haitian diaspora, and international actors 
                who share in the goal of a better future for Haiti;
                    (B) to ensure close monitoring of the 
                implementation of aid programs funded by the United 
                States Government; and
                    (C) to work with the Government of Haiti and 
                private landowners to prevent the forced eviction of 
                internally displaced people and communities and to 
                provide sustainable and safe housing solutions for the 
                most vulnerable people in Haiti.
                                 <all>