[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 23 (Tuesday, February 23, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H667-H671]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
RECOGNIZING THE BRAVERY AND EFFORTS OF THE MEMBERS OF OPERATION UNIFIED
RESPONSE
Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to
the resolution (H. Res. 1066) recognizing the bravery and efforts of
the United States Armed Forces, local first responders, and other
members of Operation Unified Response for their swift and coordinated
action in light of the devastation wrought upon the nation of Haiti
after a horrific 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck Port-au-Prince and
surrounding cities on January 12, 2010.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows:
H. Res. 1066
Whereas the recent crisis in Haiti was caused by a
magnitude 7.0 earthquake, the worst the nation has
experienced in over two centuries;
Whereas the disaster wrought by this earthquake has been
catastrophic, destroying ports, infrastructure, hospitals,
schools, homes, and businesses, making many roads impassable
and incapacitating air travel, and severely hampering the
efforts of disaster relief organizations;
Whereas one week after the earthquake hit, electricity was
still down, running water was not available, and food
supplies were quickly dwindling;
Whereas the cities of Port-Au-Prince, Jacmel, Gonaives,
Petionville, and surrounding areas have been devastated,
affecting an estimated 3,000,000 Haitians;
Whereas the United States Coast Guard was the first to
represent the United States in Haiti after the catastrophic
earthquake and was an integral part of the initial relief
efforts;
Whereas the ability of the Coast Guard to act quickly and
efficiently set the foundation for the quickly escalating
international response;
Whereas within the first 10 days, 24 United States Navy and
Coast Guard vessels, thousands of international United States
Army Reserve rescue workers, over 14,000 members of the
United States Armed Forces, 71 United States helicopters, and
26 Department of Health and Human Services personnel arrived
or were en route to provide logistical support, secure aid
distribution, and set up temporary housing;
Whereas after just one week, Joint Task Force Haiti (JTF-
Haiti) had established multiple forward operating bases
throughout Haiti and immediately started passing out
thousands of meals and bottled water;
Whereas in just one day, JTF-Haiti was able to deliver
396,808 water bottles, 238,585 meals, and 4,900 lbs. of
medical supplies to Haitian survivors;
Whereas the United States Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) and
the United States
[[Page H668]]
Coast Guard have managed the safe arrival and departure of
military and humanitarian flights at Port-Au-Prince Airport;
Whereas within the first 10 days, more than 11,000 United
States citizens were evacuated;
Whereas the USNS Comfort hospital ship arrived in less than
a week providing 600 medical personnel and the ability to
treat more than a 1,000 patients;
Whereas the USNS Comfort has already treated 1,427 patients
from 10 different hospital sites;
Whereas within the first two weeks, Department of Defense
personnel distributed 1,820,463 bottles of water, 1,465,569
meals, and 57,083 lbs. of medical equipment;
Whereas these operations delivered life sustaining food,
water, and medical supply packages to Haiti's displaced;
Whereas during coordinated relief efforts by the United
States Agency for International Development (USAID), members
of the United States Armed Forces, including members of the
Army Reserves, the Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA), the Department of Defense, the Department of State,
and the United Nations, personnel and equipment to manage 8
hospitals were delivered to provide crucial emergency medical
services, and 6 field hospitals were set up, resulting in
thousands of lives saved;
Whereas the first responders teams that readily responded
to the call for assistance for the Haitian people within the
first 24 hours after the disaster include the Miami-Dade
Search and Rescue Team of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Fairfax
County Search and Rescue Team of Fairfax County, Virginia,
U.S. Urban Search and Rescue Teams (US&R) of Los Angeles
County, New York City Firefighters, the BATAAN Amphibious
Readiness Group (ARG)/Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), and
the NASSAU ARG/MEU;
Whereas the coordinated relief efforts of the United
States, international agencies, and the United Nations
Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) in the first week
resulted in 122 courageous rescues of Haitians trapped
beneath rubble, including a 2-year-old girl who had been
trapped for 6 days;
Whereas during the ongoing relief efforts, USAID, members
of the United States Armed Forces, including members of the
Army Reserves, FEMA, the Department of Defense, the
Department of State, and the United Nations coordinated teams
that delivered 1,910 short tons of humanitarian aid in the
first week; and
Whereas additionally, 954 Department of Defense, private,
and commercial airlift sorties have been successfully
conducted: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) recognizes the efforts of the United States Armed
Forces, local first responders, and other members of
Operation Unified Response for their swift, compassionate,
and courageous action to meet the needs of Haiti's citizens
and government and facilitate the evacuation, safety, and
medical attention for United States citizens impacted by the
earthquake in Haiti;
(2) recognizes the remarkable response by the men and women
in the United States Armed Forces for their ability to deploy
such a sizeable force in such a short amount of time while
also engaged in two separate conflicts; and
(3) recognizes the dedication and sacrifice put forward by
United States public servants to procure and deliver the
enormous amounts of food, water, medical and hygienic
supplies, and shelter and for their tireless effort to repair
and rebuild critical infrastructure for the benefit of all
Haitians.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Missouri (Mr. Skelton) and the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Fleming)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Missouri.
General Leave
Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks
on the resolution under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Missouri?
There was no objection.
Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I might
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 1066,
recognizing the bravery and efforts of the United States Armed Forces,
local first responders, and all of those involved in Operation Unified
Response. I want to thank my colleagues for bringing this important
measure before the House.
On January 12, a massive earthquake struck the nation of Haiti that
was followed by a series of very powerful aftershocks that left
catastrophic damage in and around the city of Port-au-Prince. The
devastation resulted in an estimated 100,000 to 200,000 deaths,
including over a hundred Americans reported dead and 3 million Haitians
directly affected by the earthquake.
Within 2 weeks, the United States had deployed 25 Navy and Coast
Guard ships, 79 helicopters, 290 vehicles, and 21,493 Armed Forces
personnel. Medical military assets had treated over 4,000 patients, of
which 2,000 were treated aboard the hospital ship USS Comfort. The
United States had distributed 1.9 million bottles of water, 1.7 million
meals, and over 74,000 pounds of medical supplies.
The United States acted immediately, setting up a whole-of-government
response with the U.S. Agency for International Development in the lead
and the Armed Forces playing a leading role. Within 24 hours, the U.S.
had deployed Air Force special operations forces to secure the Port-au-
Prince airport and reestablish airport operations, deployed the
aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson, and started preparing both Army and
Marine units for immediate deployment to that region.
This critical contribution to the Haiti relief effort comes at a time
when the men and women of our military are already being stretched by
two wars. Our troops have once again demonstrated their capability to
respond quickly and effectively when disaster strikes.
U.S. military servicemembers and their families make tremendous
sacrifices both for our Nation and in working to help people in times
of need all over the world.
On behalf of Congress, I want to thank our heroes in uniform and all
of those involved in Operation Unified Response for the extraordinary
contributions to the Haitian people. I urge my colleagues to support
this important resolution.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. FLEMING. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I might
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to first of all thank Mr. Skelton, chairman
of the Armed Services Committee, and also Mr. McKeon, the ranking
member, and other Members who have supported this resolution.
I rise today in recognition of the men and women of the Armed Forces
who have played such an important role in easing the suffering in Haiti
after the January 12 earthquake that left thousands dead, thousands
injured, and the country in ruins. Our military's swift, dedicated, and
selfless action provided much-needed rescue, recovery, logistics and
security capability in the immediate aftermath, and our service men and
women who have done so much to put Haiti back on the road to recovery
We Americans can understand the impacts of disasters, such as
Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Andrew, the Northridge earthquake to name
just a few. So our hearts go out to those in Haiti whose lives have
been shattered by this earthquake.
Even so, the extent of the devastation was shocking. In over 200
years, Haiti has not felt as powerful an earthquake as was experienced
that day in January. Over 3 million Haitians, a third of the country's
entire population, were affected by the disaster. To put the scale of
this earthquake's impact into perspective, imagine an event affecting
more than 100 million Americans in an instant.
For a country whose infrastructure and services were already
insufficient, the effects of the 7.0 earthquake were exacerbated.
Buildings throughout Port-au-Prince and the surrounding countryside
collapsed like card houses--trapping, injuring, and killing many. The
United Nation's peacekeeping force in Haiti to aid in stabilizing that
struggling nation was unable to fully respond as it had lost its
headquarters and a number of peacekeepers during the quake.
The presidential palace, city hospital, and the World Bank building
were all severely damaged. Roads, highways, power lines and basic
services were all impacted, making immediate life-saving efforts all
the more important and difficult. The images coming from Haiti revealed
an apocalyptic scene.
Our military's response was immediate, focusing on life saving and
assessment, humanitarian assistance, and disaster relief and evacuation
operations. U.S. Southern Command was charged with coordinating and
executing all military support and by chance found the Deputy
Commander, Lieutenant General P.K. (Ken) Keen, already on the ground as
he happened to be in Haiti on an official visit when the earthquake
hit.
[[Page H669]]
{time} 1400
In these initial moments of confusion, our Armed Forces displayed the
focus, determination, and steadiness that we all expect from such a
well-trained force.
Under the direction of the U.S. Southern Command, the members of
Operation Unified Response worked closely with the U.S. Embassy
personnel, the U.S. Agency for International Development, the United
Nations, and the many nations and the U.S. States who had sent rescue
teams and aid personnel to quickly and effectively assess the damage,
begin immediate rescue operations, and open logistical lines so that
aid and recovery efforts could begin. All those involved in Operation
Unified Response deserve our utmost thanks and praise for their efforts
to save lives and restore hope in Haiti.
An estimated 230,000 lives were lost--76 American citizens are among
the confirmed dead--and almost 200,000 injured in the earthquake. These
already shocking numbers could have been all the worse had our response
been any less. Instead, lives have been saved, the injured are
receiving treatment, food and water are flowing, and recovery has
started.
Mr. Speaker, Operation Unified Response is a reminder that America
stands ready to aid a neighbor and friend in need. Once again, our
military men and women have been a shining example of the American
spirit. Today, we recognize and honor their efforts in Haiti and wish
them, and all those helping Haiti recover, Godspeed in their work. And
for Haiti and its people, we remind them that we, America, are with
them in this time of need.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to my
friend, my colleague, and the sponsor of this resolution, the gentleman
from Florida (Mr. Meek).
Mr. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the chairman, the
ranking member, and all of the Members that are cosponsors on House
Resolution 1066.
I can't tell you how important this resolution is going to be for our
men and women in uniform, not only those in the armed services, Mr.
Speaker, but those that are serving as urban rescue personnel
throughout this great country of ours.
I can tell you, being a Member of Congress that got to Port-au-Prince
shortly after the event took place, seeing some of the loss of life
that took place; seeing some of the people that were in desperation
because they were without shelter and under blankets that they were
using for tents; seeing a number of nongovernmental organizations
trying to check their personnel, making sure that they are secure and
rescue their personnel and help the Haitian people at the same time;
but seeing our military stand up in a way, moving very fast,
expeditiously to Haiti under the command of Southern Command, and also
seeing a number including our Coast Guard that was one of the first on
the scene; the urban rescue teams that came from not only L.A. County,
but Fairfax County in Virginia, Miami-Dade County, New York City, and a
number of other areas throughout this great country of ours responded
to the needs of the Haitian people, and I can tell you that it was an
outpouring of love and outstanding work on behalf of our men and women.
Madam Speaker, I just want to say that I had a chance to go out with
the urban rescue team from Miami-Dade County. There were some 40
individuals. They came recently and presented me with this helmet with
all of their signatures on it, just to tell them how much we appreciate
the fact that we appreciate them for the work that they were able to
do. But I have watched these men and women from the south Florida area
work 20 hours saving lives, save not only a 2-year-old little girl and
reunited her with her father, but there are a number of those kinds of
stories that are scattered, and the work that our men and women in
uniform have done as relates to saving lives throughout Haiti, but also
as it relates to our first responders that are our urban rescue teams,
one of the best units on the face of this Earth.
I am glad Chairman Skelton and the ranking member took the time to
allow us to bring this bill to the floor, 1066, to let those
individuals know how much we appreciate them, those that are in the
armed services, those that are our first responders, those in the
recovery process in Haiti right now.
Being from Florida, Madam Speaker, I can tell you that the
international response to Haiti is key. It was kicked off by many of
our men and women in uniform and those that are first responders. It is
an international response now, and it is very important that we
continue in that spirit.
With that, I want to thank, Madam Speaker, the ranking member, and
all of the Members that signed on to this bill to let these men and
women know how much we truly appreciate their help and also their
families' sacrifices for allowing them to serve our country and be
goodwill ambassadors at a time when the poorest country in the Western
Hemisphere needed us most.
Mr. FLEMING. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlelady from
Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen).
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
I rise today as a proud original cosponsor of House Resolution 1066,
recognizing the bravery and the efforts of the United States Armed
Forces, the local first responders, and other members of Operation
Unified Response.
Six weeks ago today, Haiti was struck by the largest earthquake to
reach its shores in over two centuries. And while many of us were
trying to grasp the tremendous impact of this disaster, the United
States Armed Forces were mobilized. They were engaged in what turned
out to be one of, if not the most key operation in Haiti's recovery.
Operation Unified Response was assembled almost immediately following
the January 12 earthquake, and it was headed by the largest joint task
force in the history of the U.S. Southern Command, SOUTHCOM.
At the height of the emergency relief efforts, there were more than
20,000 U.S. military personnel afloat and ashore working to facilitate
search and rescue operations, delivering supplies, providing security
in support of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts.
In addition, the men and women of the U.S. military did a remarkable
job in quickly standing up the airport in Port-au-Prince and in helping
to repair and increase the capacity of many of the destroyed ports in
that city. Before the earthquake, Port-au-Prince airport was averaging
about 20 flights a day. In the days following the disaster, the airport
was processing roughly 120 flights a day and really operating around
the clock, 24 hours a day, thereby enabling countless shipments of
vital supplies and resources to reach the citizens of Haiti during this
most dire time of need.
Under the leadership of General Douglas Fraser, SOUTHCOM commander,
and General Ken Keen, commander of the Joint Task Force-Haiti,
Operation Unified Response has delivered, to date, and these are
amazing numbers, over 2.5 million bottles of water, 2.2 million food
rations, 14.1 million pounds of bulk food, and 125,000 pounds of
medical supplies to Haiti's earthquake survivors.
In addition, our medical teams from the military have seen over
28,000 patients. They have performed more than 800 surgeries.
As the representative of Florida's 18th Congressional District, I
take special pride in the instrumental role that SOUTHCOM has played in
these vital relief efforts. I would like to again recognize the bravery
of the efforts of all who were involved in Operation Unified Response.
Thank you for your service.
And I thank my good friend and fellow Floridian, Congressman Kendrick
Meek, for introducing this important measure. I encourage all of our
colleagues to support it.
I thank the gentleman for the time.
Mr. SKELTON. Madam Speaker, before I yield to my friend, the
gentlelady from California, let me acknowledge the cooperation of my
friend and my colleague, the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee,
Mr. Berman, for expediting consideration of this resolution. I extend
these thanks to the committee's ranking member as well, the gentlelady
from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen).
[[Page H670]]
House of Representatives,
Committee on Foreign Affairs,
Washington, DC, February 4, 2010.
Hon. Ike Skelton,
Chairman, Committee on Armed Services, Rayburn House Office
Bldg., Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: I am writing to you concerning House
Resolution 1066, ``Recognizing the bravery and efforts of the
United States Armed Forces, local first responders, and other
members of Operation Unified Response for their swift and
coordinated action in light of the devastation wrought upon
the nation of Haiti after a horrific 7.0 magnitude earthquake
struck Port-Au-Prince and surrounding cities on January 12,
2010.'' As you know, this measure was referred to the
Committee on Armed Services and, in addition, to the
Committee on Foreign Affairs for a period to be subsequently
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of
such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the
committee concerned.
This resolution contains provisions within the Rule X
jurisdiction of the Committee on Foreign Affairs. In the
interest of permitting your Committee to proceed
expeditiously to floor consideration of this important
resolution, I am willing to waive this Committee's right to
mark up this resolution. I do so with the understanding that
by waiving consideration of the resolution, the Committee on
Foreign Affairs does not waive any future jurisdictional
claim over the subject matters contained in the resolution
which fall within its Rule X jurisdiction.
Please include a copy of this letter and your response in
the Congressional Record during consideration of the measure
on the House floor.
Sincerely,
Howard L. Berman,
Chairman.
____
House of Representatives,
Committee on Armed Services,
Washington, DC, February 5, 2010.
Hon. Howard L. Berman,
Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs, Rayburn House Office
Building, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: Thank you for your letter regarding
House Resolution 1066, ``Recognizing the bravery and efforts
of the United States Armed Forces, local first responders,
and other members of Operation Unified Response for their
swift and coordinated action in light of the devastation
wrought upon the nation of Haiti after a horrific 7.0
magnitude earthquake struck Port-Au-Prince and surrounding
cities on January 12, 2010.'' This measure was referred to
the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the
Committee on Foreign Affairs, for a period to be subsequently
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of
such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the
committee concerned.
I agree that the Committee on Foreign Affairs has certain
valid jurisdictional claims to this resolution, and I
appreciate your decision to waive further consideration of H.
Res. 1066 in the interest of expediting consideration of this
important measure. I agree that by agreeing to waive further
consideration, the Committee on Foreign Affairs is not
waiving its jurisdictional claims over similar measures in
the future.
During consideration of this measure on the House floor, I
will ask that this exchange of letters be included in the
Congressional Record.
Very truly yours,
Ike Skelton,
Chairman.
Mr. SKELTON. I yield 3 minutes to my friend, the gentlelady from
California (Ms. Lee).
Ms. LEE of California. Madam Speaker, let me first thank Chairman
Skelton for his leadership, for bringing this resolution to the floor
today, and for his support and his love for the men and women in
uniform.
I rise in support today of this resolution, which recognizes the
honorable efforts of our United States Armed Forces and our local first
responders to meet the needs of Haitians following the tragic
earthquake of January 12, 2010. We thank them for their service, we
thank them for making us very proud, and we thank them for their
compassion and their professionalism as they conducted their work.
As Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, I would like to extend
our thanks also to Congressman Meek for his work on this bipartisan
resolution as well as for his leadership on issues related to Haiti,
which he has demonstrated for so many years, long before this
devastating earthquake struck. I actually spoke with Congressman Meek
when he was in Haiti recently, and I will tell you that his work and
his insights and his commitment to help those suffering was deep and
real.
The CBC has a long history of working with the Haitian and Haitian
American communities, and during the current crisis, we have and will
continue to work closely with the Obama administration to provide
whatever assistance it can to the relief, recovery, and reconstruction
efforts.
I would also like to take a moment and thank Congressman McMahon and
Congressman Tim Murphy for their work on two more Haiti-related
resolutions coming to the floor today. H. Res. 1059, honoring the
heroism of the USAID urban search and rescue teams, one of which is
from my home State of California; and H. Res. 1048, commending the work
of the men and women of the USNS Comfort and the United States Navy.
As our President recently said, America has no greater resource than
the strength and the compassion of the American people. During the
current crisis, we have seen the strength and compassion firsthand. Our
Armed Forces, our urban rescue teams, our first responders have
certainly shown us this firsthand and, as I said earlier, they have
made us extremely proud.
While all of our eyes are on Haiti, we must determine the best way to
help Haiti move forward, to empower Haitians to rebuild in a much more
sustainable manner, one that can withstand natural disasters and
economic recessions alike. What an even greater tragedy it would be if
just a few years down the line another disaster strikes and again we
look to ourselves to ask the same questions: What went wrong? What do
we do now?
So now is the time to garner the support of the international
community. Now is the time to develop a strategy to promote the long-
term reconstruction and development of one of the poorest countries in
the world yet one we call our neighbor, one whose people are strong and
resilient. We have not only the resources; we have the compassion of
the American people.
So I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting this measure and to
express our deep appreciation to our Armed Forces, to our first
responders, to the urban rescue teams.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Ms. Titus). The time of the gentlewoman has
expired.
Mr. SKELTON. I yield the gentlewoman an additional 30 seconds.
Ms. LEE of California. I just want to make sure that we recognize and
understand that this resolution is so important today, because we don't
have many opportunities to thank our Armed Forces and our first
responders and the urban rescue teams who were the face of America, who
are the face of America, as they rose to the occasion to help the
people of Haiti in the wake of this ongoing tragedy.
Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res.
1066--to honor the extreme bravery, responsiveness and effectiveness
demonstrated by our United States Armed Services, local first
responders and other members in support of Operation Unified Response
led by USAID.
As you know, on Tuesday, January 12, a massive, 7.0 magnitude
earthquake struck Haiti near the capital of Port-au-Prince. There is
still no official estimate of death or destruction but the damage to
buildings is extensive and the number of injured or dead is estimated
to be in the hundreds of thousands.
Within hours of the earthquake, the United States sent world-class
teams of first responders and search and rescue teams to help search
for survivors. These teams, from all across the country, comprised
roughly one-third of the entire international search and rescue effort
in Haiti. In total, the United States sent over 511 rescue workers.
These rescue workers worked tirelessly to search for survivors, and
found and rescued more than 130 people from under the rubble. Without
these search and rescue units, it is possible that these people would
not have been located in time to save their lives.
In the following days, U.S. Southern Command deployed a team of 30
people to Haiti to support U.S. relief efforts in the aftermath of one
of the largest natural disasters in the western hemisphere. The team
included U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. military engineers, operational
planners, and a command and control group and communication specialists
arriving on two C-130 Hercules aircraft.
Shortly thereafter, U.S. Southern Command had established Joint Task
Force-Haiti to oversee U.S. military relief efforts in which was
commanded by U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Ken Keen. From the initial response
forward more than 13,000 U.S. military personnel, 19 ships and more
than 60 aircraft are supporting operations to provide relief and care
to more than three million Haitians who were affected by the January 12
earthquake.
U.S. military forces are currently supporting efforts to provide
shelter, establish settlements, and conduct debris removal as well as
ensuring the delivery of aid to the Haitian people. They are also
assisting the World Food
[[Page H671]]
Program's food distribution surge while continuing to work with the
U.N. Stabilization Mission in Haiti, MINUSTAH, the international
community and local responders to alleviate human suffering and support
humanitarian relief efforts.
The hospital ship USNS Comfort, embarked with nearly 1,000 medical
personnel, is treating a steady stream of Haitian patients. Comfort's
hospital capabilities include fully-equipped operating rooms, digital
radiological services, a medical laboratory, a pharmacy, an optometry
lab, a CAT-scan and two oxygen-producing plants. Comfort's bed capacity
is about 1,000.
Members supporting Operation Unified Response are also helping move
thousands of pounds of medical aid to various distribution points and
are working with local officials to address long-term rehabilitation of
the Haitian public health system.
As of February 21 the incredible members of Operation Unified
Response had delivered more than 2.6 million bottles of water, 2.2
million food rations, 17 million pounds of bulk food and 147,000 pounds
of medical supplies into Haiti. Additionally, water production
continues as U.S. military and international water purification units
produce thousands of gallons of drinkable water daily.
I would like to personally thank the professional team of Sailor,
Soldiers, Airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen of U.S. Southern Command
for their role in providing guidance and securing passage for a Texas-
based initial response medical team. These military professionals
played a key role in arranging for the doctors and medical personnel
from the Forest Park Medical Center to obtain the necessary clearance
from the State and Defense Departments to fly jets carrying supplies,
seven doctors, six nurses, two techs, and two search and rescue
volunteers to Haiti.
The medical team, led by Dr. Richard Toussaint, flew from Dallas Love
Field Airport and arrived in Haiti where they treated about 600
patients, including 70 amputations, and 150 surgeries. The team also
provided medical and supplies to Haiti's Hospital Sacre Coeur.
America is committed to deliver her support to our neighbor who is
still in dire need of our continued and immediate humanitarian
assistance. This effort will be a monumental task that will take years
to complete but we must be resolute to help the people of this
struggling island nation rebuild their livelihoods.
To date the United States Government has contributed over $400
million in earthquake response funding for Haiti. It has also deployed
approximately 19,000 military personnel in support of the relief
effort. Subsequently, as part of the new Government of Haiti-lead
effort, the U.N. World Food Program will provide commodities, non-
governmental organizations will manage distributions, and U.S. military
will provide security escorts.
America and her allies have delivered a comprehensive, interagency
response to the earthquake. The State Department, Department of
Defense, Department of Homeland Security, Coast Guard, USAID--all
worked vigorously to ensure critical resources were positioned to
support the response and recovery effort, including efforts to find and
assist American citizens in Haiti.
Once again I am proud of our Armed Services, the first responders and
all the members of Operation Unified Relief that deliver an
overwhelming successful initial response. We all owe you a debt of
gratitude and our undying support.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise today to
voice my support for H. Res. 1066 to recognize the bravery and efforts
of the United States Armed Forces, local first responders, and other
members of Operation Unified Response for their coordinated response to
the January 12, 2010 Haitian earthquake. I am remarkably proud of the
work we have done to assist with the recovery efforts in Haiti after
this earthquake devastated Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas.
With this in mind, many citizens from my home city of Dallas answered
the call to service and went to Haiti to help with relief efforts. I am
particularly moved by the work of Dr. Craig Hobar who is the founder of
Life Enhancement Association for People, LEAP, a non-profit
organization dedicated to enhancing and enriching the lives of people
around the world by providing specialized medical services. Shortly
after the earthquake in Haiti, Dr. Hobar was in the country with Dr.
Ale Mitchell to help assist with amputations and trauma surgeries. In
addition to this, Dr. Hobar has pledged to help bring volunteer medical
teams to Haiti from around the world for the next year through the LEAP
Foundation.
Madam Speaker, I encourage my fellow colleagues to join me today in
honoring all the first responders in Haiti by supporting this important
resolution.
{time} 1415
Mr. FLEMING. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. SKELTON. Madam Speaker, having no further requests for time, I
yield back the balance of my time as well.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Skelton) that the House suspend the rules
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1066.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. SKELTON. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.
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