[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 89 (Tuesday, July 12, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: July 12, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                   WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT HAITI

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Florida [Mr. Goss] is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. GOSS. Mr. Speaker, the Clinton administration policy in Haiti is 
causing a crisis of confidence in the American capability around the 
globe, and it is causing a giant, unnecessary tax cost for the American 
taxpayers. There are a number of things we can do for a new and 
improved Haiti policy, and we can do it immediately, and they are not 
expensive. There are four elements I would single out and talk a little 
bit about tonight.
  First, we should take the pressure off. We are creating polarity 
there. We are creating hate and divisiveness when we should be trying 
to build nations by promoting democracy and peace.
  The second thing we need to do is not invade and to stop talking 
about invasion.
  The third thing we need to do is to create a safe haven on Haitian 
soil for humanitarian relief.
  And the fourth thing we need to do is to use the opportunity provided 
by the decline in pressure by taking those steps to deal with the 
moderates who are elected in Haiti to run the affairs of that country. 
I speak of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate, and to deal with 
those people who want to talk with us and get back to the business of 
nation building rather that nation razing that is going on now.
  Going back to the first point, take the pressure off.
  We need to pull back the armada of 14 military vessels we have down 
there now, the Navy ships armed to the teeth with marines for assault 
and amphibious landings. We need to pull back the magnets that are 
there, those processing centers that are being given special treatment 
for Haitians, where they have an approval rate of getting into the 
United States that is much higher than if they stayed in Haiti. So, of 
course they are going to the water thinking there is a better chance of 
getting to the United States through that perilous route.
  The third thing we need to do under this part is to lift the embargo. 
There are some 19,000, more than 19,000, Haitians who have fled the 
country since the 16th of June. In Haiti despair has turned to human 
misery. Disease has turned to medical catastrophe. Malnutrition has 
gone to starvation and death, whether by drowning or by other means. It 
is no longer uncommon.

  This is inhumane treatment. If any other country were using this 
policy, we would be hollering right here in the U.S. Congress about it. 
What American can be proud of this picture, of the misery we are 
causing in Haiti?
  The Boston Globe says policy changes follow policy changes with 
disheartening speed, yet Haiti's ruling thugs have not budged. The 
exodus gathers new momentum, and so do the daily drownings. When does 
the administration get the message it is not working, it is just 
causing trouble?
  Second, do not invade. Haiti is a friendly neighboring country, or it 
used to be. We have about a million Haitians living in this country, 
and many Americans living in Haiti, and many American businesses in 
Haiti. What has gone wrong all of a sudden?
  Well, one of the things that has gone wrong is we have come up with 
this policy of embargo and the sanctions, and we have made the lives so 
miserable there that people are leaving.
  A poll was taken. We know the President is fond of polls. Two-thirds 
of the people in this country oppose an invasion. A half plus, more, 
better than the majority, oppose any U.S. involvement in any 
intervention there.

                              {time}  1910

  So basically more people wanted us not to invade than do. So why are 
we talking about it from that perspective?
  There is the thought that if we invade, we will take out Cedras and 
the problem will go away. Wrong. Cedras is not the problem. There are 
many Cedrases behind Cedras. We know that is not what is causing the 
problem.
  We have different camps in Haiti and we should be bridging them 
together, rather than putting the pressure to create more hate between 
the two of them.
  There are many unknown factors if we invade. How will we get out? 
What new leaders will emerge? What kind of costs are there? How many 
casualties will there be? Will there be any disengagement policy? Will 
the Haitian military come right back in?
  It is very hard to find a credible reason to invade. There is no 
national security interest. Haiti is not about to attack the United 
States. There are no vital interests to worry about. The administration 
is seeking a pretext. Well, it may be drugs. If it is drugs, why are we 
not attacking Colombia and Peru and Bolivia? There is no credible 
reason to invade. Drop it.
  Number three, create a safe haven on Haitian soil. We should stop 
badgering and bribing our Caribbean neighbors to take Haitian refugees, 
when there is plenty of room in Haiti and a safe haven for the refugees 
to go. Whether they are refugees seeking relief from economic 
repression that we have caused, or political repression caused by the 
situation in Haiti, it makes no sense whatsoever to put these people to 
the peril and risk they are going on when a safe haven in Haiti would 
be a good place for them to get humanitarian relief.
  Food, medicine, shelter. This is not a new idea. The U.N. has used it 
before in Sri Lanka, off of Mannar Island.
  My time has run out, and, unfortunately, the time of many Haitians 
has run out too, and the time on the administration's policy on Haiti 
has run out too. We will keep dealing with this.

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