[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 11 (Wednesday, January 27, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E98]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


         EMERGENCY AID TO SURVIVORS OF THE HAITI EARTHQUAKE ACT

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                               speech of

                             HON. AL GREEN

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, January 26, 2010

  Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Madam Speaker, I offer my strong support to S. 
2949, a bipartisan measure to extend temporary aid to help the 
thousands of Americans who are evacuating Haiti in the aftermath of the 
devastating earthquake that occurred on January 12, 2010.
  This is the worst disaster to hit Haiti in over two centuries, with 
an estimated 150,000 deaths, three million adversely affected, and 
severe damage to roads, ports, hospitals, and homes.
  Nearly 14,000 American citizens have been evacuated from Haiti, with 
40 percent of them receiving temporary repatriation assistance.
  The Department of Health and Human Services Repatriation program 
provides assistance, such as travel expenses, medical care, temporary 
lodging and food assistance, to U.S. citizens repatriating to the 
United States in the wake of a natural disaster or other hardship. 
Americans receiving this assistance must reimburse the government costs 
incurred on their behalf, unless repayment is deemed to be infeasible 
due to the recipient's overall lack of financial resources.
  This important legislation would raise the annual funding limit on 
the U.S. Repatriation Program, from $1 million to $25 million, for 
Fiscal 2010.
  Thank you to my colleagues for acting swiftly to move this bill and 
provide assistance to all Americans in need of help returning to their 
homes from Haiti.

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