[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1375 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1375

 Recognizing the history between Haiti and France, acknowledging Haiti 
  as the first free Black nation in the Americas, recognizing how the 
 aftermath of their freedom is directly related to their impoverished 
       state today, and realizing the importance of this history.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 20, 2022

    Mr. Torres of New York (for himself and Ms. Clarke of New York) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, 
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

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Recognizing the history between Haiti and France, acknowledging Haiti 
  as the first free Black nation in the Americas, recognizing how the 
 aftermath of their freedom is directly related to their impoverished 
       state today, and realizing the importance of this history.

Whereas the revolutionary movement in Haiti was the first successful slave 
        revolution in 1791, freeing itself from French rule;
Whereas Haiti established an independent nation in 1804, decades before other 
        colonies and nations fought against their enslavement;
Whereas, in 1825, French warships appeared on the coast of Port-au-Prince with 
        an ultimatum from French King Charles X to give reparations to former 
        slave masters or face another war;
Whereas Haiti's President Jean-Pierre Boyer agreed in an effort to avoid war and 
        begin trade with other countries;
Whereas, for generations after independence, Haitians were forced to pay the 
        descendants of their former slave masters, becoming the world's first 
        and only country to have ``independence debt'';
Whereas these payments extended to the Empress of Brazil, the son-in-law of the 
        Russian Emperor Nicholas I, Germany's last imperial chancellor Otto von 
        Bismarck, and French general Gaston de Galliffet;
Whereas the first installment of payment was six times the country's income;
Whereas Haiti was forced to take out loans from French banks to make payments, 
        creating ``double debt'';
Whereas, historically, Haitian leaders have ransacked the country for their own 
        gain, as legislators have spoken openly on the radio about accepting 
        bribes and oligarchs sit atop lucrative monopolies;
Whereas Transparency International ranks Haiti among the most corrupt countries 
        in the world;
Whereas Haitians have paid about $560,000,000 in today's dollars toward the 
        double debt;
Whereas most workers in Haiti have never had running water or septic tanks;
Whereas public hospitals lack the most essential supplies, like blood pressure 
        cuffs or thermometers; and
Whereas few of the economic hardships imposed by the French are recognized and 
        are not covered in French schools, and recent conversations with the 
        French Government have been squashed: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) recognizes the long-forgotten history between Haiti and 
        France and its direct impact on the economic and social 
        challenges Haiti faces today;
            (2) pledges to make this history known throughout the 
        United States;
            (3) welcomes Haitian immigrants presently in the United 
        States and individuals seeking to immigrate to the United 
        States to contribute to the health, safety, diversity, and 
        prosperity of the United States by finding their place in the 
        vibrant, multiethnic, and integrated society of the United 
        States;
            (4) encourages the people of the United States to work with 
        their Haitian immigrant neighbors and colleagues to advance the 
        current and future well-being of immigrants to the United 
        States;
            (5) commits to working with fellow Members of Congress, the 
        executive agencies that administer immigration laws and 
        policies, and the President to promote smart and just 
        immigration policy for Haitian immigrants presently in the 
        United States, their families, and individuals seeking to 
        immigrate to the United States in the future; and
            (6) commits to working with international organizations to 
        administer aid, in the form of programs, resources, and foreign 
        policies, that continue to help Haiti's economic and social 
        recovery.
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