[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 27 (Wednesday, March 9, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E398]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           HAITI'S HEALTH NEEDS/NEW PARTNERSHIP FOR HAITI ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BARBARA LEE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, March 9, 2005

  Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, Haiti not only needs immediate democracy but it 
also needs an immediate health intervention.
  Today in Haiti less than 45 percent of Haitians have access to safe 
water and access to sanitation.
  Seventy-six percent of Haiti's children under the age of five are 
underweight, or suffer from stunted growth and 63 percent of Haitians 
are undernourished.
  Eighty percent of the population lives in abject poverty and the 
unemployment rate is estimated to be nearly 90 percent.
  Ninety percent of all HIV/AIDS cases in the Caribbean.
  As we combat global HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis, maternal and 
child mortality, and many other life threatening diseases, we must 
address the long-term effect of dilapidated physical and health 
infrastructure and abject poverty throughout the world, including in 
Haiti.
  If the United States believes in helping families across the globe be 
healthy, happy and free--then now is the time to step up in our own 
backyard and support a comprehensive health approach to positively 
impact our neighbors in Haiti.
  One way of attacking the varied diseases that leave thousands 
devastated in Haiti is working with a democratic Haitian government to 
rebuild the health infrastructure.
  I recently introduced the New Partnership for Haiti Act of 2005, or 
H.R. 945 would offer a comprehensive plan for future engagement between 
the U.S. and Haitian Government.
  This legislation partners Haitians and Americans together to produce 
environmentally sound strategies for rebuilding Haiti.
  Its major provisions are aimed at developing basic sanitation, water, 
and other health infrastructures in Haiti.
  The New Partnership for Haiti Act would bring the U.S. Army Corp of 
Engineers to train and educate Haitians on how to rebuild, pave, and 
maintain roads to provide access to rural and urban areas to health 
clinics. It will commission environmental impact studies for these 
projects, focusing on long term, environmentally sound solutions--not 
short term remedies.

  Haiti needs assistance in addressing its long-term health 
infrastructure development.
  The most basic of these needed development challenges is water. How 
can Haiti begin to combat its enormous health problems without basic 
clean and safe water?
  Well Mr. Speaker, Haiti's water quality is life-threatening. In a 
study released in May of 2003, Haiti ranked last in the world for water 
quality.
  The New Partnership for Haiti Act will provide funds and expertise 
through USAID to partner with Haiti on rebuilding of sanitation, water 
purification projects, and education for Haitians on how to maintain 
these systems themselves in the future.
  This bill will help Haitians build and maintain safer, quality sewage 
systems and safe water delivery for both urban and rural communities.
  The New Partnership for Haiti Act will start a pilot program for 
American Health Professionals and also Engineers who are interested in 
going to Haiti and helping with the development process.
  It is my hope that a transfer of knowledge from U.S. professionals in 
the fields of health and engineering to Haitians will ensure long term 
development and guarantee the success of the programs similar to the 
success of the Global Fund and other international initiatives.
  By widening the knowledge base of non-governmental organizations and 
professionals in Haiti, the U.S. will take advantage of a unique 
opportunity and obligation towards Haiti's future.
  We worked together to get the humanitarian loans, which had been held 
up by the InterAmerican Development Bank officially released on May 9, 
2003.
  We will continue to push for the full release of these loans and the 
potential for future humanitarian grants through the IDB.
  I also believe we must move forward on establishing a health 
infrastructure for efficient delivery of these health and social sector 
funds.
  Haiti has numerous health and social issues that are difficult to 
approach because of the undemocratically, installed Interim Government 
of Haiti; however, we must be forward thinking and prepare for Haiti's 
democratic future.
  Preparing now will open the doors to safe, healthy clinics, reducing 
child and maternal mortality, combating HIV/AIDS with drugs and 
comprehensive treatment and nationwide sewage, sanitation, and clean 
water.

                          ____________________