[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 88 Introduced in House (IH)]
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115th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. CON. RES. 88
Expressing the sense of the Congress that temporary protected status
for Haitian nationals should be extended until that country has
demonstrably recovered from the 2010 earthquake, the cholera epidemic,
Hurricane Matthew, and other disasters.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
October 27, 2017
Ms. Wilson of Florida (for herself, Ms. Sewell of Alabama, Mr. Ellison,
Mr. Danny K. Davis of Illinois, Mr. Rush, Ms. Lee, Mr. Conyers, Mr.
Lewis of Georgia, Mr. Scott of Virginia, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Mr.
Hastings, Mr. Cleaver, Mr. Clay, Mr. Butterfield, Mr. Veasey, Ms.
Jackson Lee, Mr. Payne, Mr. Lawson of Florida, Mr. Evans, Mr. Thompson
of Mississippi, Mr. Clyburn, Mr. Al Green of Texas, Ms. Fudge, Ms.
Clarke of New York, Ms. Moore, Mr. Carson of Indiana, Mr. Richmond, Ms.
Bass, Mrs. Beatty, and Ms. Clark of Massachusetts) submitted the
following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on
Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for
a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the
committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of the Congress that temporary protected status
for Haitian nationals should be extended until that country has
demonstrably recovered from the 2010 earthquake, the cholera epidemic,
Hurricane Matthew, and other disasters.
Whereas the Republic of Haiti experienced a devastating earthquake on January
12, 2010, that claimed an estimated 300,000 lives, displaced more than
1,500,000 people, and caused approximately $14,000,000,000 in damage,
nearly twice the country's $7,000,000,000 gross domestic product (GDP);
Whereas former President Barack Obama extended his deepest condolences to the
people of Haiti and pledged unwavering United States support;
Whereas three days after Haiti faced one of the worst disasters in its history,
then-Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano
designated Haiti for temporary protected status (TPS), providing refuge
for some 46,000 Haitian nationals who would be endangered by returning
to Haiti;
Whereas in October 2010, just months after this unprecedented natural disaster,
United Nations peacekeepers from Nepal, who were infected by cholera and
engaged in unsanitary practices, caused a man-made disaster in the form
of a cholera outbreak;
Whereas the United Nations abdicated responsibility for the cholera outbreak and
invoked absolute immunity for more than half a decade;
Whereas, to date, the United Nations-caused cholera epidemic has killed nearly
10,000 people and infected nearly 1,000,000 people in Haiti;
Whereas a 5-year long, multinational campaign led by cholera victims and their
families, that included widespread protests and litigation, compelled
the United Nations to finally admit its role in the cholera epidemic,
issue an apology, and announce a two-part, $400,000,000 plan to address
cholera and assist victims;
Whereas the United Nations had managed to raise only $2,670,000 of its
$400,000,000 pledge to spur Haiti's recovery from the cholera epidemic
and provide redress to victims through May 2017;
Whereas in stark contrast to former Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's promise of a
victim-centered response to the cholera epidemic, the United Nations has
not effectively engaged cholera victims in the remedial process
according to numerous reports;
Whereas Haiti's challenges were exacerbated on October 4, 2016, after Category 4
Hurricane Matthew left a trail of damage and destruction of a level not
seen since the 2010 earthquake, causing damage estimated at one-third of
the nation's GDP, $2,700,000,000, causing hundreds of deaths, and
leaving an additional 1,400,000 people in urgent need of humanitarian
assistance;
Whereas according to the World Bank, Haiti's economic growth has contracted to
less than one percent, the unemployment rate remains above 40 percent,
and the overwhelming majority of Haitians (60 percent) continue to live
well below the national poverty line of $2.42 per day;
Whereas in 2016, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, in
coordination with other United States agencies, conducted on-the-ground
assessments and reaffirmed the persistence of the conditions which
prompted Haiti's TPS designation;
Whereas these conditions include acute housing and food shortages, debilitating
economic conditions, political instability, susceptibility to
environmental disasters, disproportionate security risks faced by women
and children, gutted infrastructure, and inadequate access to health
care;
Whereas the Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti estimates that Haitian
TPS holders contribute $1,300,000,000 to Haiti's economy through
remittances, about 15 percent of GDP, and support up to 500,000
relatives;
Whereas the Immigrant Legal Resource Center estimates that termination of TPS
for Haiti, which would deprive Haitian nationals of employment
authorization, threaten the viability of their businesses, and require
the United States to expend nearly $500,000,000 to deport Haitian
nationals, would cost the United States more than $2,700,000,000 in GDP
and $428,000,000 in Social Security and Medicare contributions over 10
years;
Whereas just as their ancestors valiantly fought alongside our troops and
contributed to our victory in the American Revolutionary War, Haitian
TPS holders contribute to every aspect of society in the United States
and are deeply woven into our communities;
Whereas Haitian TPS holders' contributions include raising United States-born
children and Haitian-American families, creating jobs as entrepreneurs,
making significant contributions to Social Security, Medicare, and other
programs as taxpayers, improving our workforce and global
competitiveness through their pursuit of higher education, and
supporting vulnerable Americans;
Whereas President Donald Trump has commended Haitians for their contributions to
American society, acknowledged Haiti's lingering challenges, and
committed to being the ``greatest champion'' for Haitians;
Whereas following a long advocacy campaign supported by more than 100 Members of
Congress from both sides of the aisle, Governors, State and local
legislators, activists, and various other leaders, the Department of
Homeland Security extended Haiti's temporary protected status through
January 22, 2018;
Whereas the short-term extension and ensuing statements have triggered
widespread uncertainty and panic among Haitian TPS holders;
Whereas extending Haiti's temporary protected status for 18 months would remove
this uncertainty, enable beneficiaries to continue making valuable
contributions to Haiti and the United States, hasten Haiti's recovery
from the disasters that prompted the TPS designation, provide United
States agencies adequate time to conduct on-the-ground assessments; and
Whereas an 18-month extension of Temporary Protected Status for Haiti would
reaffirm a core American value: compassion: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),
That it is the sense of the Congress that--
(1) the people of the United States stand in solidarity
with the people of Haiti and support efforts to help Haiti
recover and develop into a prosperous democracy;
(2) Haiti has not demonstrably recovered from the natural
and man-made disasters, which prompted the Secretary of
Homeland Security to designate Haiti as a temporary protected
status (TPS) country;
(3) the Secretary of Homeland Security should extend
Haiti's TPS designation, which is scheduled to expire on
January 22, 2018, by 18 months, and should strongly consider
economic, political, and environmental conditions, closely
examine the implementation of anti-cholera efforts, and
thoroughly assess the contributions of Haitian TPS holders to
Haiti and the United States in making extension determinations;
(4) the Secretary of State should urge the United Nations,
in close consultation with cholera victims and stakeholders,
expeditiously to fulfill its pledge to treat and eliminate
cholera, improve long-term access to clean water and
sanitation, and provide material assistance to victims; and
(5) a democratic and equitably prosperous Haiti will be
better positioned to provide opportunities for its citizens,
address crises, meet its obligations, and advance interests and
values shared by the United States and Haiti.
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