[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 3 (Wednesday, January 13, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H119-H124]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CBC HOUR
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of
January 6, 2009, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee) is
recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the majority leader.
Ms. LEE of California. As Chair of the 42-member Congressional Black
Caucus, let me first begin by saying that our thoughts and our prayers
go out to the people of Haiti and the Haitian-American community, those
Americans and others in Haiti affected by this devastating earthquake.
Members of the Congressional Black Caucus are continuing to monitor
the situation in Haiti, and are committed to providing whatever
emergency humanitarian assistance is needed. The Congressional Black
Caucus has a long history of working with the Haitian people and the
Haitian-American community on a variety of issues. We share a close and
long-standing relationship. Many members of the Congressional Black
Caucus, including myself, have visited Haiti many, many times.
Since learning of the devastating earthquake yesterday, my staff and
I have been in contact with the State Department and other officials to
assess the situation on a regular basis. Congressman Donald Payne of
New Jersey chairs the International Affairs Task Force of the
Congressional Black Caucus, and has held several meetings today to
coordinate our legislative and humanitarian assistance efforts. The CBC
is working to help to ensure that the United States can and will
continue to do everything it can to provide emergency humanitarian
assistance. The President has quickly deployed all available assets and
resources to respond to this emergency.
Over the last several years, Haiti has experienced an extraordinary
set of challenges, from high food prices and food shortages, to natural
disasters. Haiti will need increased attention and resources from the
international community to help it recover during this very difficult
time.
United Nations reports say thousands of people may have died in this
earthquake. At least 100 people are believed to be buried in the rubble
of the United Nations headquarters building in Port-au-Prince. The head
of the United Nations Mission is among the missing. Search and rescue
teams have been sent to Haiti from several countries. A United States
military official says tentative plans are underway for the hospital
ship USNS Comfort to dock off the coast of Haiti to assist with sick
and wounded. We are asking the global community to help us with these
efforts.
In response to the earthquake in Haiti, the U.S. Agency for
International Development is dispatching a disaster assistance response
team, and has activated its partners the Fairfax County Urban Search
and Rescue Team and the Los Angeles County Search and Rescue Team. Now,
more than ever, Haiti needs our help.
Haiti is the poorest, least developed country in the Western
Hemisphere, with an average per capita income of $500 per year. But the
Haitian people are resilient and proud people. The country ranks 146
out of 177, lower than Bangladesh and even the Sudan on the United
Nations Human International Development Index. And also one in eight
children will die before the age of five. That is one in eight.
Over the last 2 years, Haiti has been devastated by a triple blow of
rising food and energy prices, the succession of hurricanes and
tropical storms, and the global economic downturn. In May of 2008, the
former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, Congresswoman Carolyn
Cheeks Kilpatrick of Michigan, and I, led a Congressional delegation to
Haiti to examine the conditions on the ground. We were joined then by
10 members of the Congressional Black Caucus and one member of the
Congressional Hispanic Caucus. Later that month, the House passed an
emergency supplemental that included funding for international food
aid, and also other food security initiatives. As a member of the
Appropriations Committee, we worked to ensure that Haiti's needs were
addressed in the context of the global food crisis.
Thanks in large part to the leadership of many members in the
Congressional Black Caucus, in September 2008 President Bush signed
H.R. 2638 into law, which amended the Department of Homeland Security
Act to include 100 million in additional disaster relief to the
Caribbean, of which 96 million was appropriated to Haiti. During
Haiti's time of need then Congress stepped up to lend support. And of
course we expect no less this time around.
{time} 1700
As we deliver urgent and immediate support to the people of Haiti and
all of those who have been affected by this earthquake, we must also
identify long-term solutions to Haiti's problems. Haiti's food
shortages, severe deforestation, poor sanitation, lack of family
planning and health care services, high unemployment and
underdevelopment, and also the lack of an agricultural sector, these
issues, these problems cannot be solved by emergency assistance alone.
And so that is why, working with Chairman Engel, many of us are working
on my bill, H.R. 417, which is called the Next Steps for Haiti Act of
2009.
This bill would provide technical expertise and build human capacity
to help Haiti address its own problems. Many Haitian Americans living
in the United States have technical expertise in areas such as
agriculture, education, health care, and infrastructure and would like
to return to Haiti to assist their people. My bill creates a mechanism
to transfer this knowledge in order to meet the needs and the goals of
Haiti.
Beyond that, we need to ensure that we find innovative ways to build
human capacities, such as educational exchanges, programs such as I
have proposed and other Members in H.R. 416, the Shirley Chisholm U.S.-
Caribbean Educational Exchange Act.
Now more than ever Haiti needs the support of its neighbor to the
north. Even as we deal with our own problems during these tough
economic times, we must not turn a blind eye to the untold human
suffering just off our shores. Today, we express our continued support
for Haiti. We stand in solidarity with the Haitians and the Haitian
Americans who have lost loved ones, with the United States citizens
still trapped on the island. We stand in solidarity with the rescue
workers who have devoted their time and their treasure to help people
they do not know. We stand hand in hand with them today and renew our
continued support.
Our thoughts and our prayers go out to the Haitian people and to all
of those who have been affected during this very trying time. We are
asking everyone in our country to help in this assistance with the
Haiti effort. Of
[[Page H120]]
course individuals can go online, USAID.gov, for more information. The
administration is urging cash donations. There are many, many efforts
taking place by our administration in this immediate emergency response
in terms of a search-and-rescue effort at this moment.
Thank you again for giving us the opportunity to speak tonight. I
would like now to turn the floor over to Congresswoman Donna
Christensen from the Virgin Islands, who has led on many efforts as it
relates to the Caribbean, who knows Haiti very, very well, who knows
what natural disasters mean in terms of the dislocation and the tragic
deaths that occur and what we have to do as a country to help respond
to such a tragedy of this magnitude.
Thank you, Congresswoman Christensen.
Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. And thank you, Congresswoman and Chairwoman Lee,
for your leadership of the caucus through every event that we've had to
deal with, but especially for the way that you have answered the call
to action for the people of Haiti and have called us to action as well
within the caucus and within the Congress.
Mr. Speaker, I rise this evening with my colleagues to express our
deep sense of concern for the plight of the Haitian people after
yesterday's devastating earthquake, the most devastating some people
have observed in 200 or more years. I want to again thank our chair
lady and the past years of the Congressional Black Caucus for the
leadership they have given over the years on behalf of the nation of
Haiti.
Last year, we began this administration and this Congress with hope
for this country because of the promised engagement of President Obama,
the demonstrated commitment of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and
the work on the ground of former President Clinton. But today, after
beginning to rebuild after an onslaught of hurricanes in years past,
this country, which is poor in resources but never has been poor in
spirit, has been dealt a devastating blow once again.
So on behalf of the people of the Virgin Islands who are Caribbean
neighbors of the people of Haiti, I express my condolences on the loss
that has not yet been counted and for a sorrow not yet fully expressed
because of the shock at the sheer magnitude of the loss that affects us
all as fellow human beings.
I would like to express special concern for the Haitian Americans in
my district and across the country who are worried and devastated as
they try to get some word about the status of their loved ones back at
home.
Mr. Speaker, Haiti has always had a special place in my heart and the
hearts of all of us in the Congressional Black Caucus as me and my
colleagues have tried over several administrations to impress upon
those administrations the need for assistance for a people who crave
economic opportunity, political stability, and social advancement. Many
Haitians have migrated to our shores and have made significant and
magnificent contributions to our country, but many still yearn for a
better future for the country that they left behind.
As we ponder how to help Haiti in this time of disaster, which has
followed many other disasters, and the difficulty of daily living for
many of her residents, I hope that we will look at how we can help this
neighbor to turn the corner and be more able to grow and develop in a
way that can be helpful and more supportive to her citizens and help
them to build for the future. Haiti needs debt forgiveness, investment
in infrastructure, assistance in health care and education, and many of
the things that we take for granted that would create that brighter
future for its people.
I commend President Obama for his quick response in getting first
responders there to help those trapped in the rubble, medical
assistance to help those who have been hurt or injured, and military
assistance to help maintain the stability that is necessary to make
sure that those most in need get the help. And we know that his
commitment and our commitment as Members of Congress is there for the
long term.
Mr. Speaker, this disaster has touched the lives of rich and poor,
educated and not, Haitians and others. And as we fellow human beings
who care stand ready to assist in this time of need, I join my
colleagues tonight in the Congressional Black Caucus and pledge our
help in this disaster and in the long term for their recovery. Right
now the need is for monetary donations to credible organizations like
the International Red Cross and others operated by churches and not-
for-profit organizations that work with the people of Haiti on a
regular basis. News reports last night told us that the people of
Haiti, devastated by the disaster, took to the streets last night and
hugged and prayed while trying their best to dig their friends and
neighbors out of the rubble. We want them to know that we join in their
prayers for relief and mercy and will do what we can as neighbors, as
friends, as family, and as Members of Congress to assist them in their
time of need.
Ms. LEE of California. Thank you very much, Congresswoman
Christensen.
Now I would like to yield to the Chair of the Congressional Black
Caucus' International Affairs Task Force, Congressman Don Payne, who
also chairs the Africa and Global Health Subcommittee of the Foreign
Affairs Committee. Congressman Payne today has been working hour by
hour coordinating an emergency response strategy for the House of
Representatives. Thank you very much, Congressman Payne, for being with
us here tonight and for your leadership.
Mr. PAYNE. Thank you very much. And let me commend the chairperson of
the Congressional Black Caucus, Barbara Lee, for her continued
leadership, stellar leadership, bringing issues that are current to us
before the Congressional Black Caucus and the Congress and the Nation.
Once again, we are here to talk about an issue that is very close to
us. As has been indicated, I chair the International Task Force of the
CBC and others on the Western Hemisphere Committee and so forth. Haiti
has been a longtime concern to many of us, and we certainly wish to
express our concern for this disaster, this catastrophe that has
stricken Haiti.
As you know, Haiti was hit by four devastating hurricanes and
tropical storms recently, a year and a half ago. And Haiti was
recovering, recovering from the mudslides, recovering from the floods,
working its way back for the past 15 months. Then of course last night
we were just shocked when we heard that a 7.0 earthquake on the Richter
scale, an earthquake that was only 5 miles from the surface of the
Earth, therefore giving it a magnitude of strength that is rarely felt
in an earthquake because many earthquakes go down 100 miles, 150 miles
deep into the Earth. However, this being 5 miles from the surface meant
that the shock and the aftershocks were as individual earthquakes would
be because of the proximity to the surface. This was a tremendous
setback again for Haiti.
From reports, we have heard that few buildings are left standing in
Port Au Prince. The Parliament building, schools, hospitals, houses are
destroyed. We have known that there has been a problem in Haiti with
deforestation, with the need for firewood and heating fuel, cooking
fuel, and therefore the denuding of the topography, therefore making it
very difficult for the environment to move forward. And so this
unbelievable earthquake is certainly another tremendous setback.
We know that the U.S. had a quick response. Our Secretary of State
from Hawaii early this morning indicated that the U.S. would be there
in full force with all of our support. Then we recall this morning the
President of the United States addressed our country, indicating that
the U.S. will do all within our authority to ensure that everything is
done that we can.
There has been a tremendous amount of coordination. We heard from
Cheryl Mills from the Secretary of State's office recently on a
conference call where she updated us about all of the military and
humanitarian, USAID programs that are going on. We have ships that are
going to Haiti. We have Mercy Hospital ship that's on its way. We have
helicopters that will be deployed from our aircraft carriers. We have
the Coast Guard that is coming down.
And so we have a tremendous amount of immediate--there was never any
[[Page H121]]
hesitation on the part of our government, and I commend the Obama
administration. In my State of New Jersey, we have many, many Haitian
Americans, and my office has been inundated with calls of people who
want to know what they can do and concerns about their family and loved
ones and what will the next steps be.
In concluding, Haiti has been a strong ally to the United States of
America throughout its history. Haiti sent troops to fight with the
American patriots who were fighting for their independence against
Great Britain. In Savannah, the Battle of Savannah, many Haitians lost
their lives, which was one of the turning points of the colonists
turning the tide against the British Army. Many valiant Haitians died
for our independence. And actually, during history, when the Haitian
military had a 12-year war with Napoleon's army, Haiti defeated the
great Napoleon's military and therefore, France was in need of
finances. And France at that time controlled the Louisiana territory.
It was because of Haiti's defeat of France and their need for cash that
the United States was able to buy the Louisiana territory in the famous
Louisiana Purchase, which therefore opened the West to the United
States, and Lewis and Clark then went throughout the continent.
{time} 1715
So, if you look at it, Haiti has had a tremendous amount to do with
our development as a Nation, and so we now owe a responsibility, I
believe, to our longstanding friend in Haiti. So I know that we are on
the right track. The Congressional Black Caucus will continue to
monitor and ensure that we have a thorough and efficient response, as
we have seen. We have been pleased up to this point, and we will be at
the forefront.
So, once again, let me commend the chairperson of the Congressional
Black Caucus and all of the members who have joined shoulder to
shoulder to say that we will march until we ensure that Haiti will,
once again, be able to come back again. They have the resilience. They
have the spirit. They have the determination. So we know that it will
come back, but it will have to be with the assistance of the United
States and of many other nations around the world who are willing to
help.
Ms. LEE of California. Thank you very much, Congressman Payne. Let me
thank you for that presentation and also for putting Haiti in a
historical context. It is important that we recognize and remember the
history of how our foreign policy and our relations with Haiti have
been so important in the past, which now has brought us to this day.
So, today, we are talking about how we can respond in an emergency
way and in a manner that will help the Haitian people take care of the
sick and that will help with these search and rescue efforts. I also
thank you for reminding us that we have to help Haiti to move forward
and to rebuild and recover.
Now I would like to ask Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee to speak.
Congresswoman Jackson Lee is a member of the Homeland Security
Committee, but also she was very instrumental in the Katrina response.
She provided many, many ways and vehicles for Katrina survivors to live
and to have a decent place to stay until they could return home, and
she ensured that FEMA was responsive to their needs. She really took on
many, many issues as it relates to hurricane survivors. Now she is
working very hard as it relates to the earthquake in Haiti.
So thank you again, Congresswoman Jackson Lee. Let me just remind
you, and I was listening to Congressman Payne, that I come from an area
that is earthquake-prone. It is hard to imagine what a 7.0 or a 7.1
earthquake is on the Richter scale given our experience with, maybe, a
4 or a 5 or a 6. So this is really an earthquake of enormous magnitude
that those of us who come from earthquake-prone regions recognize and
understand.
Thank you, Congresswoman Jackson Lee.
Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Let me thank Congresswoman Barbara Lee, our
chairperson, who raised the red flag and who let out the siren and
gathered us together, and I want to respond to what she just said about
the earthquake.
It rocks you in your soul; 7.0 on the Richter scale is hair-raising.
I would also argue that it puts your hair on fire. I still have a sense
that I am trembling because it's unimaginable. As you have just
indicated, we look to California, and we get very nervous about our
friends and family who are there when we hear of a 2, of a 3 or of a 4.
I recall in the northern California area when there was an earthquake
that impacted the baseball game and the baseball stadium, and it was
all over the news. It was not a 7.0.
So I would just simply say that we rise here with all solemnness. We
are not speechless, but we are trembling for those who are now in the
eye of devastation.
I, too, rise to thank the Congressional Black Caucus, of which I am a
member, to thank all of those who have been in meetings, as we have
been throughout this morning and yesterday, and on a conference call
that occurred. Work is going on as we speak and the concern that we
have for those who we have been able to see only through, to a certain
extent, still pictures, though I know many of our cable networks in
particular have been making their way there, and other networks, to be
able to deliver the devastation to us.
I express my appreciation to the President of the United States, who
moved swiftly. There was no hesitation on the commitment that President
Barack Obama had. In fact, he quickly offered his prayers, but he
acknowledged the devastation, making note of the fact that he had seen
collapsed hospitals, crumbled homes, men and women carrying their
injured neighbors to the streets. He acknowledged that it was truly
heart-wrenching, sufficient to make you tremble. So, moving swiftly, he
directed his administration to coordinate in an aggressive manner to
save lives.
The people of Haiti will have the full support of the United States
in the urgent efforts to rescue those trapped beneath the rubble and to
deliver the humanitarian relief--the food, the water, and the
medicine--the Haitians will need. He has authorized that USAID and the
Departments of State and Defense work closely together, and he has
mobilized large numbers of individuals, including our military efforts.
I also want to take note that the Secretary of Homeland Security has
indicated that our resources, including the United States Coast Guard
and FEMA, will be there, which we have jurisdiction over--my committee
has jurisdiction over--and Chairman Thompson will be intimately
involved in pushing the efforts of making sure that FEMA and the U.S.
Coast Guard are there.
Google ``7.0'' and get a sense of how deeply devastating that is and
that it hit one of the most populated areas, Port-au-Prince. It damaged
buildings extensively. We saw the palace collapse, not riddled by
bullet holes, but literally collapse. How fortunate we can say we were,
the fact that this came at 6 o'clock when we understand that many of
the workers in the palace and the government were already gone, but we
know that government officials may have lost their lives. It is said
that many of the United Nations personnel and peacekeeping troops have
lost their lives, and so we can't put this at a level of seriousness by
just our voices and our words.
Let me thank the U.S. Southern Command that is deploying a team of 30
people to Haiti to support U.S. relief efforts in the aftermath of
yesterday's devastating earthquake. Let me also mention that the team
will include U.S. military engineers, operational planners, a command-
and-control group, and communications specialists. They will arrive in
Haiti on two C-130 Hercules aircraft. For those who don't know or who
can't imagine, those are huge, boat-like aircraft which can carry an
enormous amount of equipment.
Chairman Lee, I think one of the important issues that I am very
concerned about and would like to get a report on is how many
aircraft--let me just use the right terminology--large ships can carry
heavy equipment. We know in the war zones that there are large aircraft
that can carry heavy equipment, and the equipment I am thinking of in
particular would be the Earth-moving machines, the machines that can
assist in finding the loss.
[[Page H122]]
As we understand, many are still living or are still trying to live
who are in the crushed buildings. Time is of the essence. It is
imperative because of the crush injuries that can kill. Even if they
are alive, the fact that some parts of their bodies are crushed,
whether it is a leg or an arm, can cut off circulation, and they can
die. Some of the large equipment is so very important, and I would like
to get a report on how fast that equipment can move.
We do understand that a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter already evacuated
four critically injured U.S. Embassy staff to the naval station at
Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, hospital for further treatment. Elements of the
U.S. Air Force First Special Operations Wing are deploying today to the
international airport of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, to provide air traffic
control capability and airfield operations.
That is very important, which will allow Members of Congress--and
might I thank Congresswoman Lee in working with the Congressional Black
Caucus. I would like to push for a codel on Friday, but I realize the
difficulty of moving Members during a time of great uncertainty. So I
encourage, as you have already dictated, that the CBC have a codel, and
I know there are many members who are looking to do that and who would
do that at the appropriate time. I want everyone to realize that the
Congressional Black Caucus is leading on this, and we are attempting to
get to Haiti as quickly as we can, making sure that the operations of
rescue go forward first.
A U.S. Navy P-3 Orion aircraft from the forwarding operational
location at El Salvador took off early this morning to conduct an
aerial reconnaissance of the area affected by the earthquake, and the
U.S. Navy aircraft carrier, the USS Carl Benson, is under way and is
expected to arrive off the coast of Haiti. I might imagine that they
will be bringing in what is necessary in the heavy equipment. Many
countries around the world are also coming, and I do believe it is
crucial that we acknowledge that.
The Red Cross is receiving dollars. The White House has a Web site,
Madam Chair, which I would like to recite if I could find it.
Ms. LEE of California. Will the gentlelady yield?
Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. I will be happy to yield.
Ms. LEE of California. I believe the Web site is USAID.gov.
Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Yes, that's one of them.
There was a WhiteHouse.gov, and that is an excellent one to use if I
find it. Then of course I would like to state the number for American
family members who are trying to find their family in Haiti, and that
number is (888) 407-4747.
What I would like to conclude on is to give comfort to Haitians who
are here and to ensure that they can reach out to the offices of their
Members of Congress. I'll give my number, which is (202) 225-3816, for
constituents in my area, but it is important to note that all Members
of Congress and the Congressional Black Caucus members will all be
going home to their districts, meeting with the Haitian Americans in
their constituencies. In particular, I will be meeting with Haitian
American constituents, and I am calling for a weekend of prayer that
will culminate on your days of worship, that you will offer up a
weekend of prayer for the people of Haiti, for their families and, of
course, for the Haitian Americans who are now here struggling to help
their loved ones.
It is also important for Haitian Americans and for others to note
that the President and the Secretary of Homeland Security have put a
hold on any deportations. Let me say this because that always raises
hairs, but we in the Congressional Black Caucus have been in the
forefront for acknowledging that, really, the deportations of Haitians
have really fallen upon the backs of hardworking Haitians who came
here, by and large, simply to work and to achieve opportunities. They
came alongside of the Cubans, but did not have the same status. We have
not found danger in the Haitian community. In fact, a story that
appeared in the Houston Chronicle is of a Haitian American whom I
helped. She was a schoolteacher with two children and a husband, and
she is being switched off.
I am glad that she is now in the midst, Chairwoman Lee, of the
Haitian relief effort in Houston.
So we have been advocating, and the Trans Africa Forum has advocated
for TPS status, but I think it's important to note that we have gotten
the quickest response and that that response is that the deportations
of Haitians--and I want to repeat it again--are now on hold as ordered
by the President of the United States and the Secretary of Homeland
Security. I can't imagine any Member of Congress is going to rise to
his feet to challenge that humanitarian act by this government, and I
am very proud of them.
I do want to take note of the fact as well that I am very pleased
that Major Washington has been detailed to my office, and his firsthand
knowledge has already been helpful. One of the things that, I think, we
should emphasize in the immediate hours, tragically, is to secure units
from the military which are able to set up temporary morgues. We hate
to say that, but we understand that that is what we are going to face,
and let me tell you why.
{time} 1730
In listening to the leadership in Haiti, Haiti's Prime Minister Jean-
Max Bellerive told CNN that he believes there are well over 100,000
dead. We don't know that, but these are government officials who have
said that number, and a leading Senator estimated the number as
possibly as high as 500,000. Again, we don't have an affirmation of
these numbers, but these are leaders who are on the ground, and I
believe it is very important.
Eight American employees working at the Embassy were injured; three
were medevaced. We believe there are three U.S. citizens who have died,
currently reported by the individual.
I think I started out by saying the Houston Rotary Club, downtown
Rotary Club has a delegation in Haiti as of yesterday, and we are
working to ensure their return.
Let me say thank you for the U.S. Embassy. The building, we
understand, is intact. We thank those workers there. We encourage them
as they are helping to be part of the solution. We are encouraging them
as we work with them for those constituents of ours that are still
there that we will be looking for.
I hope that the long journey of recovery will be a bipartisan effort.
I am thankful that the Congressional Black Caucus, meeting with their
constituents as we go home, will be able to be the harvesters of
information and bring back information that can be very helpful.
The Congresswoman, Congresswoman Lee, mentioned a number. I want to
cite the American Red Cross, who is also accepting public donations to
support the Haitian response, to the American Red Cross International
Response Fund, which is used to respond to disasters such as the
Haitian earthquake. The American Red Cross made an initial contribution
of $1 million from these funds for relief activities within hours of
the earthquake, and they are prepared to send relief supplies for 5,000
families from their warehouse in Panama. The United Nations is
releasing $10 million from its emergency fund.
And as I close, let me just cite very quickly the Irish
telecommunication company is helping. European Commission has approved
3 million euros. Spain has committed dollars in euros. Netherlands has
committed 2 million euros. Germany committed 2 million euros. China
will donate 1 million. Sweden, 6 million kronor, $850,000.
Venezuela has sent doctors, firefighters, and rescue workers. Mexico
will send doctors, search and rescue dogs. France is sending two
planes. Britain has sent 64 firefighters.
And, by the way, that is a component that we believe does not exist,
firefighters. My plea to our brave firefighters across America, I
believe we should facilitate your going, if you desire. And I certainly
will look forward to reaching out to my firefighters in Houston for
opportunities.
Taiwan, Israel, and of course the United States State Department is
in full force, which we hope they will be coordinating all this.
Lastly, I know that Cuba will be sending doctors. They have been
especially supportive in crises, and I am in advance thanking them for
their medical team.
[[Page H123]]
Congresswoman Lee, Chairwoman Lee, I am touched by this devastation
in ways that cannot be expressed, as all of us are, and the reason is
because we work with Haitian Americans in our constituency. We have
been to Haiti. We have watched it get on its feet. We have visited
political prisoners in its jails. We have now been grateful for a new
day in Haiti.
And I also want to thank former President Bill Clinton, who has been
appointed by the President some many months ago to help chart the
recovery for Haiti. We have got a whole new task now, but we are up to
the task. And what we will say is, my brothers and sisters, have faith.
Never give up the faith, for in this time of need you will find that
the human community will rally toward you and they will be your wind
beneath your wings. They will be your Good Samaritan. They will be your
brother. They will be your sister. And as a good songwriter often said
and many of us like to sing, just lean on me. Just lean on me, and we
will make a difference.
Thank you, Madam Chair, for your leadership and that of the
Congressional Black Caucus.
Mr. Speaker, there are certain facts, I would like to discuss:
earthquake
A massive, 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti near the capital of
Port-au-Prince on Tuesday, January 12th. The damage to buildings is
extensive and the number of injured or dead is estimated to be in the
hundreds, even thousands.
Several eyewitnesses reported heavy damage and bodies in the streets
of the capital, Port-au-Prince, where concrete-block homes line steep
hillsides. There was no immediate estimate of the dead and wounded on
Tuesday evening.
Haiti sits on a large fault that has caused catastrophic quakes in
the past, but this one was described as among the most powerful to hit
the region. With many poor residents living in tin-roof shacks that sit
precariously on steep ravines and with much of the construction in
Port-au-Prince and elsewhere in the country of questionable quality,
the expectation was that the quake caused major damage to buildings and
significant loss of life.
The dimensions of the disaster are still unfolding, Haiti's Prime
Minister Jean-Max Bellerive told CNN that he believes there are well
over 100,000 dead, and leading senator Youri Latortue estimated the
number at possibly as high as 500,000, according the Associated Press.
u.s. death toll
Eight American employees working at the Embassy were injured; 3 were
medivaced. There are 3 U.S. citizens deaths currently reported but toll
expected to rise.
u.s. aide response
President Obama vows immediate response and aid.
The State Department, Department of Defense, Department of Homeland
Security, Coast Guard, USAID--has worked overnight to ensure that
critical resources are positioned to support the response and recovery
effort, including efforts to find and assist American citizens in
Haiti.
U.S. Southern Command will deploy a team of 30 people to Haiti to
support U.S. relief efforts in the aftermath of yesterday's devastating
earthquake.
The team includes U.S. military engineers, operational planners, and
a command and control group and communication specialists, will arrive
in Haiti today on two C-130 Hercules aircraft.
The team will work with U.S. Embassy personnel as well as Haitian,
United Nations and international officials to assess the situation and
facilitate follow on U.S. military support.
The American Red Cross is accepting public donations to support the
Haitian response through the American Red Cross International Response
Fund--which is used to respond to disasters such as the Haiti
earthquake. The American Red Cross made an initial contribution of 1
million dollars from these funds for relief activities within hours of
the earthquake and we are prepared to send relief supplies for 5,000
families from our warehouse in Panama.
international aide response
The United Nations is releasing $10 million from its emergency funds.
Irish telecommunications company Digicel said it would donate $5
million to aid agencies and help repair the damaged phone network.
European Commission has approved C3 million ($4.37 million) with more
funds likely.
Spain has pledged C3 million ($4.37 million), and sent three planes
with rescue teams and 100 tons of emergency relief equipment.
Netherlands has donated C2 million ($2.91 million) and will send a
60-person search-and-rescue team.
Germany gave C1.5 million ($2.17 million) and sent an immediate
response team. Another team with 20 rescue dogs is on standby.
China will donate $1 million.
Sweden has offered 6 million kronor ($850,000) along with tents,
water purification equipment and medical aid.
Venezuela has sent doctors, firefighters and rescue workers.
Mexico will send doctors, search-and-rescue dogs and infrastructure
damage experts.
France is sending two planes with doctors, food and medical
equipment.
Britain has sent 64 firefighters with search-and-rescue dogs and 10
tons of equipment.
Iceland is sending 37 search-and-rescue specialists.
Taiwan is flying in 23 rescue personnel and 2 tons of aid and
equipment.
Israel is sending an elite army rescue unit including engineers,
rescue workers, doctors and medics.
The U.S. State Department Operations Center set up the following
number for Americans seeking information about relatives in Haiti:
(888) 407-4747. The department cautioned that because of heavy volume,
some callers may hear a recording. The State Department said those
interested in helping immediately may text `HAITI' to `90999' and a
donation of $10 will be made automatically to the Red Cross for relief
efforts. The donation will be charged to your cell phone bill. The
department also suggested contacting agencies such as the Red Cross or
Mercy Corps to help with relief efforts.
Ms. LEE of California. Thank you very much. And thank you for that
very powerful statement, Congresswoman Jackson Lee, and also for
reminding us that this is a global response and the United States is
leading.
General Leave
Ms. LEE of California. We, tonight, would like to ask the Speaker if
we could keep the record open for 5 days for those who would like to
add their statements to the record.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from California?
There was no objection.
Ms. LEE of California. Once again, our thoughts and our prayers go
out to the people of Haiti, to the Haitian American community, to all
of those, our American citizens, all of those who have been impacted by
this horrible, horrific earthquake.
Ms. WATERS. Mr. Speaker, I was absolutely devastated to learn of the
earthquake that struck Haiti late yesterday afternoon. I fear that an
earthquake of this magnitude, with its subsequent aftershocks, has
dealt a serious blow to the livelihoods and lives of many Haitians and
to the important economic, political and social developments that were
underway in the country.
Haiti is already the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. I
have traveled to Haiti many times, and I have seen the poverty and
desperation of the Haitian people with my own eyes. There is widespread
unemployment and underemployment, and more than two-thirds of Haitian
workers do not have formal jobs. There is a high risk of infectious
diseases, including diarrhea, hepatitis, typhoid fever, dengue fever
and malaria. The infant mortality rate is nearly 6 percent, and almost
half of the adult population cannot read and write.
Many people have worked hard over the years to assist the people of
Haiti. I have worked with officials in the U.S. Government and
international organizations to bring economic development to Haiti.
Meanwhile, dedicated people working with charities and non-
governmental organizations are on the ground in Haiti trying to end
poverty and help the Haitian people build a brighter future for
themselves and their children.
I have also worked very hard over several years to bring debt
cancellation to Haiti, which owed over one billion dollars in debts to
the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and other
multilateral financial institutions. Last June, the World Bank
announced that all of these debts would be completely canceled.
Yet for the people of Haiti, every step forward seems to be followed
by three steps backward. In August and September of 2008, Haiti was
struck by four hurricanes and tropical storms in rapid succession: Fay,
Gustav, Hanna, and Ike. The loss of life and the destruction of
infrastructure as a result of these storms were devastating. The storms
destroyed more than 22,000 houses and damaged an additional 84,000
houses. Almost all of the agricultural land in the country was flooded,
causing more than $200 million in damage to the agricultural sector
alone and exacerbating hunger throughout the country. The storms also
damaged or destroyed roads, bridges and other essential infrastructure.
I had hoped that this year would be a year of recovery for Haiti. Yet
this earthquake appears to be far more damaging than the
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storms of 2008. We do not yet know the full extent of the damage, but
certainly thousands of Haitians have lost their lives, thousands of
others have been injured, and many survivors have most likely lost
their homes or livelihoods.
Despite the devastation that has occurred in Haiti, I am encouraged
by the prompt actions of President Obama, Secretary of State Clinton,
and other government officials to mobilize available resources and
coordinate relief efforts. I urge the U.S. Government, the
international community, nonprofit organizations and individual people
to take all appropriate actions to respond to this earthquake and help
the Haitian people recover from this terrible tragedy.
My heart is with the people of Haiti at this dark hour, and I commit
myself to doing everything I can to help them through this terrible
disaster.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, it is beyond devastating that our
friend and neighbor, the Republic of Haiti, has been hit with yet
another terrible natural disaster. My thoughts and prayers are with
both the Haitian people during this time of incredible hardship, and my
constituents in South Florida whose family and friends have fallen
victim to this tragedy.
As you know, the people of Haiti are now experiencing the death,
destruction, and aftermath of a 7.0 magnitude earthquake.
Just 600 miles off the coast of Florida, Haiti stands as the poorest
nation in the Western Hemisphere. Its nine million people are no
strangers to hardship. In its tumultuous recent past, Haiti has
experienced violent uprisings and floods that killed thousands of
people and wiped out much of their food and infrastructure systems. As
a result, they stand at a severe disadvantage and are ill equipped to
deal with a tragedy of this scale.
Sadly, many Haitians have been unable to recover from the turmoil of
their past, and therefore, remain exceedingly vulnerable to the
repercussions of yesterday's powerful earthquake.
Recovery must be our first priority.
I am proud that the United States Government has offered immediate
assistance to the people of Haiti.
Both President Obama and Secretary Clinton have pledged America's
unwavering support for Haiti during this crisis.
Military officials have said that plans are underway for the hospital
ship USNS Comfort to dock off the coast of Haiti to assist the sick and
wounded.
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is dispatching
a Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) and has activated its
partners; the Fairfax County Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) Team and
the Los Angeles County Search and Rescue Team.
We must continue to work with the Obama Administration and federal
agencies to help marshal necessary humanitarian relief efforts.
In addition, now more than ever, it is clear that Congress must work
to enact Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian nationals living
in the United States.
TPS would allow Haitians to remain in peace and security in the U.S.
while the island recovers.
In 1998 the U.S. government set a precedent when it granted TPS to
nationals from Central American countries affected by Hurricane Mitch,
and I would like to see the same fairness applied to Haiti.
The United States must continue to provide assistance to bring Haiti
out of poverty. I strongly support Congress appropriating robust
emergency funds to assist Haiti in the wake of this catastrophe. Such
funding is vital to providing stability in that fragile country, and is
in our own national security interest.
Mr. Speaker, it is our moral responsibility to help our neighbors in
Haiti however we can, and the residents of South Florida can be sure
that I will continue to use my position as a Member of Congress to
advocate policies that will promote stability and security in Haiti
during this time of need.
Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, I rise to bear witness to the reports of the
remarkable response I know is taking place in Chicago and other parts
of the United States in the aftermath of the 7.0 earthquake that struck
Haiti yesterday.
Thankfully, that response is being led by a fully engaged Obama
Administration who, right now, is rapidly transporting critically
needed food, supplies and relief workers--both civilian and military--
in an aggressive effort to save lives within the next, critical 24
hours.
My prayers are with the departed souls who lost their lives,
yesterday, and for the families and loved ones they left behind. I pray
that their loved ones find the strength to carry on in spite of the
horrific circumstances they face.
I come from a city that was founded by a bold Haitian explorer, Jean
Baptiste Pointe du Sable. My hope is that the people of Haiti will tap
into a boldness of spirit, and determination, that will help them find
the collective will to rebuild. My hope and prayer for Haiti is that
this nation will emerge even stronger than they were before yesterday's
devastation.
I commend CBC Chairwoman Barbara Lee and the rest of the leadership
of this caucus, and others, who are marshalling our combined resources
to help the people of Haiti rebuild.
May God bless the people of Haiti and those who are risking their
lives to help them.
Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to express my deepest
condolences to the people of Haiti who have lost family, friends and
loved ones in yesterday's earthquake. I understand that the island as a
whole has been devastated, and that the capital city of Port-au-Prince
was particularly severely hit. I greatly appreciate the efforts of the
Administration and many non-governmental organizations who are working
tirelessly to provide emergency aid and assistance.
However, as I have long worked in partnership with Haiti to assist in
the development of the country, I strongly believe that the
Administration's efforts to ameliorate the damage suffered by Haiti
should not be limited to simply initial emergency response and aid. The
recovery of Haiti will be a lengthy process, particularly since
yesterday's earthquake served to further exacerbate the existing
humanitarian crisis that was the result of crippling damage inflicted
by four hurricanes and tropical storms in late 2008. In this
environment, Haiti is simply not in a position to adequately provide
for the safety of Haitian nationals upon their return to the country
from the United States.
Therefore, I will, along with a bi-partisan group of Members of
Congress, be asking the Administration to designate Haiti for Temporary
Protected Status, or TPS. TPS will allow Haitian nationals currently in
the U.S. to remain until this time of crisis has passed and Haiti is
adequately able to handle the safe return of its nationals. I hope that
the Administration recognizes that TPS designation for Haiti will be a
significant step towards rebuilding after yesterday's tragedy. Again, I
would like to extend my most sincere condolences to the Haitian people,
and reassure them that I will do everything in my power to ensure that
the U.S. government will provide any and all necessary assistance
towards the rebuilding of Haiti.
Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart and sincere
condolences for the victims of yesterday's tragic earthquake. Yet
another natural disaster has devastated this country and its people.
My heartfelt sympathy and prayers go out to the people of Haiti,
those injured and unaccounted for, including Americans and U.N.
personnel, and those who have lost loved ones.
I commend the swift response by the Obama Administration, especially
USAID, the State Department, and DOD, as well as the international
community to quickly mobilize humanitarian and disaster relief in a
complex humanitarian disaster.
The devastation this earthquake has wrought is particularly tragic
for the people of Haiti, who have endured not only destructive storms
and hurricanes, but crushing poverty and political turmoil. Americans
and people around the world have answered the call to support Haiti
with time, talents, and charitable assistance in Haiti's great time of
need.
I stand committed to help the Haitian people recover from this
disaster through emergency and humanitarian assistance as well as
through long-term development assistance. I'm hopeful that a unified
coordinated effort, in collaboration with the Haitian people, will
result in a successful effort to rebuild their beautiful country.
Ms. LEE of California. I yield back the balance of my time.
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