[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 25 (Tuesday, March 2, 2004)]
[House]
[Page H732]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1945
                          THE CRISIS IN HAITI

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Kline). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee) is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I look forward to joining my 
colleagues just a short while from now to lay out for the Members of 
the House, and in many instances the American people, just where we are 
as it relates to a small nation by the name of Haiti.
  First, I applaud the leadership of the Congressional Black Caucus not 
just for its involvement with Haiti over the last trying and tumultuous 
days, but I think it should be noted the constant meetings and 
engagement with this administration on providing the necessary 
resources so Haiti might understand. President Aristide has a long-
standing relationship with this Nation inasmuch as he left the country 
some years ago in the 1990s so that Haiti might regain its strength and 
that there might be a democratic process. President Clinton restored 
Aristide to power around 1994 with a number of U.S. military troops as 
requested by the then-president. President Aristide did not attempt to 
be a dictator. He left office in 2 years and a new president was duly 
elected and he maintained his position for 5 years. At that time the 
people of Haiti decided to reelect President Aristide, and he came back 
to power.
  During the course of that time, the world's economy collapsed. Money 
due to Haiti to ensure their economic survival were denied by this 
administration. There were constant negotiations and engagement of the 
International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and others to release their 
funds and work with Haiti to ensure that they followed all of the 
necessary rules, which fell on deaf ears.
  Even as late as last summer, the economy of Haiti was crumbling 
because the world did not come to its aid. Some might say, here we go 
again, another nation to give sustenance to. But I say we need to look 
at this country, which is a mere 600 to 700 miles away from our shore, 
a country which stood alongside us during our Revolutionary War, and a 
nation which has maintained its independence for 200 years.
  The Haitians look to the United States, the United States looks to 
the Haitians. Haitians are vibrant contributors to our economy. Many 
Haitians are living in south Florida in the district of the gentleman 
from Florida (Mr. Meek), who has worked so tirelessly, along with his 
mother before him, to work on their behalf.
  Mr. Speaker, I think we are shamefaced today because President 
Aristide begged for our involvement to protect a democracy. He asked 
that this Nation not come in war, but it come to restore democracy and 
peace and the end of violence to a nation that was struggling. The 
cause of his demise or the conflict was based a lot on the lack of 
international resources, first from France and other allies, and 
certainly the United States participated in that.
  Even the Congressional Black Caucus saw the writing on the wall but 
gave to this administration three easy accomplishments that would have 
thwarted the violence that we have seen over the last couple of days: 
(1) establish a humanitarian corps that would provide water and food 
and safety for those in Haiti; (2) devise an international peace effort 
bringing in allies from around the world who were willing; and (3) 
establish a political resolution which President Aristide was willing 
to engage in. President Aristide even accepted the cosharing of 
government with the opposition, and yet they refused.
  I am fearful that what our Nation did was engage with the rebels, the 
insurgents and those who would undermine the government. What a 
conflict of position to go into Iraq with a unilateral preemptive 
strike to in essence undermine a despot like Saddam Hussein and to find 
weapons of mass destruction; but yet when a peaceful democracy led by a 
duly elected democratic president of that country asked for our 
involvement, we refuse to get involved. And yet when the question was 
posed, who are the insurgents, who do they represent, no one can 
identify whether these are simply thugs or drug dealers.
  Even now as there is complete chaos in Haiti, we cannot understand 
why we would want to engage in negotiations with individuals who have a 
very shady background. I beg of this Congress to fully investigate the 
scenario of the last 48 hours and the unfortunate departure of 
President Aristide. Was he or was he not kidnapped? Mr. Speaker, this 
Congress must answer that question, and this Nation must be told the 
truth.

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