[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 6 (Wednesday, January 20, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Pages S22-S23]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            HAITIAN CHILDREN

  Ms. KLOBUCHAR. Mr. President, I come to the floor today to call 
attention to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Haiti and to the plight 
of the many Haitian children who have been adopted by American families 
and are still waiting to be brought from the disaster to loving homes, 
to families who are waiting to welcome them. Many have been waiting for 
a year, 2 years. Many of the families in my State have actually gone to 
Haiti, and they have met these children.
  In the days immediately following the earthquake, the United States, 
the United Nations, other nations, and organizations have moved swiftly 
to provide food and water, medicine and clothing, as well as 
international aid workers to assist in these disaster areas. The people 
of this country, the people all over the world, have been 
extraordinarily generous. Currently, thousands of American civilians, 
as well as members of our Federal agencies and Armed Forces, are in 
Haiti lending their hands to help the Haitian people.
  Unfortunately, though the United States is doing much to save lives 
in Haiti, lives continue to be lost. And unfortunately, some of the 
most helpless of Haiti's people--its children--are among those in most 
need of our help. I am focusing on this issue, this small but important 
piece of our aid relief, because I have had so many families come to me 
from my State who are clutching photos of children they are waiting to 
bring home.
  Minnesota has one of the highest rates of international adoptions in 
the country. Part of that is because we have had a strong tradition of 
aid, of bringing people from Somalia, the Hmong community, to our 
State. We have also had a strong tradition of reaching out for decades 
and adopting children from other countries.
  Many of the families I met with over the weekend have been able to 
confirm that their children are safe, and for that they are so 
grateful. But they have also heard reports of orphanages that are not 
in the best shape--not enough food, not enough water. They know these 
children because so many of them have seen them before. They knew even 
before this in the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere that these 
children were not always getting adequate diets.
  On January 15, I wrote to Secretaries Clinton and Napolitano, urging 
them to use their authority under the Immigration and Nationality Act 
to grant humanitarian parole to all U.S. families applying for entry to 
the United States on behalf of their prospective children during this 
period of emergency. I also spoke with Secretary Clinton. She was 
amazingly generous with her time, and sympathetic and working on this 
issue.
  I am thankful that on Monday, January 18, Secretary Napolitano 
announced her authorization of the use of humanitarian parole for 
orphans who are eligible for adoption in the United States. 
Humanitarian parole is typically used sparingly in cases of compelling 
emergency. But as I noted in my letter, the magnitude of this disaster 
clearly warrants broader application of this policy.
  There are details, and the details are important. How are these kids 
going to get to the United States so the paperwork can be processed? 
There has been talk of a safe haven set up, but we have not seen that 
happen. Meanwhile, our families in Minnesota are getting more desperate 
as they hear about the second quake today, as they hear about the 
problems from the people who are running the orphanages.
  This is what I am talking about. Betsy Sathers, a Minnesota resident, 
was widowed when her husband of 10

[[Page S23]]

months was killed in the tragic I-35W Minneapolis bridge collapse on 
his way home from work. They talked about having children. So Betsy 
Sathers decided to adopt some children. She signed up to adopt kids in 
Haiti. She recently returned from celebrating their second birthday--
twins. That is who I am talking about when I talk about someone who is 
awaiting the arrival of these children in her home.
  This is another family--I have their picture here--I met over the 
weekend. Ginger and Dale Reynolds are adopting two kids, Roselene and 
Rodeley. They were in the final stages and hoping to bring their kids 
home. They were told they were in the next batch of adoptions when they 
last visited before the earthquake hit.
  What is striking about this family is that Ginger still signs all of 
her e-mails with blessings, and they are still incredibly positive 
despite having their kids in this orphanage. They are also stressing 
how they want us to help all families, not just theirs. When I met with 
them, another family was there who was not quite as far along in the 
process. They spent most of their time talking about how this other 
family should be helped as well.
  Finally, Dawn and Lee Sheldon--I have their photo as well. This is 
when they were in Haiti. These are the two children they want to adopt 
who are not with them yet. They are adopting two children. The 
conditions have been very bad for the particular orphanage where their 
two kids have been staying. This family has been glued to CNN, which 
has filmed at the orphanage, looking to see these children's faces.
  While we talk legalities, understandably, orphans in Haiti are 
continuing to suffer from lack of water, lack of food, lack of shelter. 
Many orphanages have been partially or entirely destroyed in the shocks 
from this quake. In others, the bodies of deceased personnel still lie 
near the children, for aid agencies are unable to take away all of the 
dead.
  The hardship and the horror that these orphans face is extreme, and 
we must act now to bring them out from the unsanitary and potentially 
traumatizing situation in which they find themselves.
  I am grateful for the quick work of Secretary Napolitano and 
Secretary Clinton. They are on the scene. They are doing the work. But 
we have to do everything we can to bring these children home. These 
orphanages, the ones that have not been damaged and are still 
functioning, need the beds, sadly, for other children. These children 
have homes to go home to--homes that are welcoming them, homes that 
consider them their children.

  Mr. President, I yield the floor, and I suggest the absence of a 
quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Burris). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.

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