[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 58 (Friday, May 12, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4526-S4527]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      SUPPORTING DEMOCRACY DEVELOPMENT AND STABILIZATION IN HAITI

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 476, which was 
submitted earlier today.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 476) supporting democracy development 
     and stabilization in Haiti.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution 
be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be 
laid upon the table, and that any statement relating to the bill be 
printed in the Record as if read, without intervening action our 
debate.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 476) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 476

       Whereas Haiti has a per capita gross domestic product (GDP) 
     of $361, over 65 percent of the population lives under the 
     poverty line, 50 percent of the population does not have 
     access to clean water, and nearly 50 percent of the 
     population is illiterate, according to the World Bank;
       Whereas the Government of Haiti has fundamental 
     requirements with respect to providing citizen security, 
     protecting the rule of law, controlling drug trafficking, and 
     fighting corruption;
       Whereas, on March 2, 2004, United Nations Secretary-General 
     Kofi Annan stated, ``We should put the people of Haiti at the 
     center of everything we try to do, and try and help them 
     build a better future. And as I have indicated before, I hope 
     this time the international community will go in for the long 
     haul and not a quick turn-around. We need to work with them 
     to stabilize the country, and sustain the effort. It may take 
     years and I hope we will have the patience to do it.'';
       Whereas the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti 
     (MINUSTAH) was established by United Nations Security Council 
     Resolution 1542 on April 30, 2004, and extended again until 
     August 15, 2006, by United Nations Security Council 
     Resolution 1658, ``with the intention to renew for further 
     periods'';
       Whereas over 40 countries participate in MINUSTAH, 
     including 12 countries from the Western Hemisphere;
       Whereas the leadership of MINUSTAH is comprised of 
     representatives from Canada, Brazil, and Chile;
       Whereas more than 3,500,000 Haitians registered to vote in 
     Haiti according to the Organization of American States;
       Whereas more than 2,000,000 Haitians voted in the national 
     elections on February 7, 2006, according to the Haitian 
     Provisional Electoral Council (CEP); and
       Whereas more than $1,000,000,000 was pledged at the 
     International Donors Conference in July 2004 in support of 
     Haiti's Interim Cooperation Framework: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) urges reconciliation among the people of Haiti, 
     including a government led by President-elect Rene Preval 
     that respects the rights of all political parties;
       (2) supports the efforts of President-elect Preval to 
     coordinate municipal and local elections in 2006;
       (3) thanks the countries that are contributing personnel to 
     MINUSTAH, particularly Brazil, whose President, Luiz Inacio 
     Lula da Silva, announced on March 13, 2006, that peacekeepers 
     from Brazil will stay in Haiti for as long as the new 
     government in Haiti needs them;
       (4) supports efforts by the United States to encourage 
     Canada, Chile, and Argentina to maintain their commitments to 
     MINUSTAH;

[[Page S4527]]

       (5) strongly encourages the members of the United Nations 
     Security Council to continue to support the current troop 
     levels of MINUSTAH and to raise significantly the numbers of 
     United Nations civilian police forces;
       (6) urges the broader international community to continue 
     to support MINUSTAH, to fulfill the pledges made at the July 
     2004 International Donors Conference, and to plan for a new 
     multi-year commitment of support at a new donor's conference 
     to be held no later than July 2006;
       (7) recommends the creation of an effective demobilization, 
     disarmament, and reintegration program to encompass former 
     military members and gangs;
       (8) recommends that the new government cooperate fully with 
     MINUSTAH in assuring police and judiciary reform; and
       (9) supports assistance from the United States Government 
     to support the reconstruction of Haiti, including programs to 
     promote job creation, governance and rule of law, protection 
     of the environment, access to basic education and health 
     care, and reconstruction of vital infrastructure.

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