[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 23 (Tuesday, February 23, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H671-H673]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HONORING THE HEROISM OF THE SEVEN URBAN SEARCH AND RESCUE TEAMS
DEPLOYED TO HAITI
Mr. McMAHON. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to
the resolution (H. Res. 1059) honoring the heroism of the seven United
States Agency for International Development and Office of U.S. Foreign
Disaster Assistance supported urban search and rescue teams deployed to
Haiti from New York City, New York, Fairfax County, Virginia, Los
Angeles County, California, Miami, Florida, Miami-Dade County, Florida,
and Virginia Beach, Virginia, and commending their dedication and
assistance in the aftermath of the January 12, 2010, Haitian
earthquake, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows:
H. Res. 1059
Whereas a catastrophic earthquake measuring 7.0 on the
Richter scale struck the nation of Haiti at 4:53 p.m. (local
time) on January 12, 2010;
Whereas the January 12, 2010, earthquake was the largest
earthquake to hit the island-nation in over 200 years and has
caused unconscionable loss of life, affected over 3,000,000
people, and caused widespread physical devastation to
buildings and infrastructure;
Whereas United States urban search and rescue teams (US&R)
were immediately activated and deployed from Fairfax County,
Virginia, Los Angeles County, California, and Miami-Dade
County, Florida, to assist the United States Agency for
International Development (USAID) Disaster Assistance
Response Team (DART);
Whereas each US&R task force is comprised of 70 members,
who are multifaceted and cross trained in the major
functional areas of search, rescue, medical, hazardous
materials, logistics, and planning, and who are supported by
trained canines able to conduct physical search and heavy
rescue operations;
Whereas task forces have been activated for natural and
man-made disasters and incidents both at home and abroad,
including hurricanes, earthquakes, and the attacks of
September 11, 2001;
Whereas New York City's first responders asked the Office
of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) to activate a New
York City US&R task force shortly after the disaster struck;
Whereas the 511 United States rescue workers comprised
roughly one-third of the entire international US&R effort in
Haiti;
Whereas more than 130 people have been rescued from under
the rubble in Haiti by the US&R task forces, of whom at least
47 were rescued by United States US&R task forces;
Whereas United States US&R task forces deployed to Haiti
also trained many of the other foreign search and rescue task
forces in Haiti;
Whereas, on January 21, 2010, Assistant Secretary of State
for the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement
Affairs David T. Johnson and New York City Police
Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) to provide the Haitian national police,
among other police forces, with training and technical
assistance; and
Whereas the search and rescue effort in Haiti officially
transitioned to a long-term humanitarian relief effort on
January 23, 2010: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) honors the bravery and dedication of the United States
Agency for International Development, Office of U.S. Foreign
Disaster Assistance, and Federal Emergency Management Agency
supported urban search and rescue teams, the best trained of
these teams in the world;
(2) congratulates the 511 United States urban search and
rescue workers for the many lives they helped to save in
Haiti;
(3) recognizes the contribution of these teams not only in
the lives that they directly saved, but to the international
teams that they trained and to the people of Haiti;
[[Page H672]]
(4) expresses its gratitude and appreciation to the
individuals and organizations that comprise the National
Urban Search and Rescue System for their unyielding
determination and work as first responders to victims of
disasters from all hazards;
(5) welcomes home the brave first responders of the United
States urban search and rescue teams; and
(6) views the work of such teams and volunteers as an
important part of the Nation's contribution to the recovery
of Haiti.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New
York (Mr. McMahon) and the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York.
General Leave
Mr. McMAHON. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from New York?
There was no objection.
Mr. McMAHON. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this
resolution and yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, on January 12, 2010, the most devastating earthquake
to strike Haiti in over 200 years ravaged the island nation and took
with it hundreds of thousands of lives. The aftermath of this tragic
earthquake will undoubtedly be felt for years to come, but through the
tragedy over 50 Haitian and American families celebrated the moment
when their loved ones were rescued from the rubble by the 511 brave
volunteers of the USAID/OFDA-supported urban search and rescue teams
deployed to Haiti.
These teams, which hail from New York City; Fairfax County, Virginia;
Los Angeles County, California; Miami, Florida; Miami-Dade County,
Florida; and Virginia Beach, Virginia, in most cases alerted their
rescue team commanders that they were ready and willing to serve in
Haiti even before their activation by OFDA. Their heroism is a true
testament to the American spirit and the underlying concern of all
Americans toward their neighbors and friends.
While highly skilled and experienced in this type of dangerous work,
the challenges facing the search and rescue teams in the aftermath of
this devastating earthquake were particularly daunting. One night, as
New York's Task Force One team had already gone to base camp, the team
rushed back to the streets of Port-au-Price when they heard rumors that
there were still children trapped in rubble nearby. That night, an 8-
year-old boy was pulled by the team from the rubble and thanked his
rescuers with a big hug and a big smile. The rescue team also saved a
little girl buried in the same massive pile of rubble where the team
recovered the bodies of three other children that day.
The U.S. task force teams arrived in Haiti completely self-reliant.
They brought their own shelter, food, and equipment. New York City Fire
Commissioner and Staten Island native Sal Cassano says the groups that
were sent to Haiti were among the best trained in the world by, of
course, his department and the police department led by Commissioner
Ray Kelly. The teams assisted in all types of search and rescue
operations, including concrete removal, void searches, and confined
space searches. They truly made a difference in the lives that they
saved and in the other international search and rescue teams which they
trained as well.
Altogether, the international search and rescue effort in Haiti
resulted in over 130 lives saved. And although the search and rescue
phase of the disaster relief effort in Haiti is over, many of the
rescuers and members of the New York City Police Department have stayed
on or will return to provide the Haitian national police, among other
police forces, with training and technical assistance.
It is essential that immediate rescue and relief efforts be followed
with a sustained commitment to Haiti's long-term reconstruction and
development, and I commend President Obama, with the support of this
Congress, and his able team for their leadership in this area.
I commend the great heroism of the seven United States search and
rescue teams that served in Haiti and welcome them back to their homes
and families in New York, California, Virginia, and Florida.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
I rise today as a proud original cosponsor of the bill before us,
House Resolution 1059.
In the days following this horrific disaster, many of us watched the
endless news cycles with cautious hope as search and rescue efforts
were streamed live around the world. With bated breath, we watched as
time after time earthquake survivors miraculously appeared from the
rubble, each rescue helping to reinforce the faith, the strength, and
the determination of all who were and are involved in the relief
efforts in Haiti.
More than 130 individuals were ultimately saved from the rubble in
the weeks following the earthquake, more rescues of survivors over more
days than ever before. This is a testament to both the survivors and
the rescuers. The U.S. search and rescue units are the best trained in
the world. Without hesitation, several of these teams deployed almost
immediately following the earthquake. We ultimately sent seven of our
best teams, roughly compromising one-third of the entire urban search
and rescue effort in Haiti. My own district was proud to send one team
from both the city of Miami and Miami-Dade County.
Importantly, however, this resolution also recognizes the entire
urban search and rescue team system that we have operating in this
great country of ours. Because the U.S. swiftly contributed seven
courageous teams to the search and rescue efforts in Haiti, there were
a number of additional teams standing ready to deploy should they be
called upon. It is this compassion and this courage which characterizes
the spirit of the American people.
Helping to train and work with various international search and
rescue teams on the ground, there is no doubt that the contributions of
our urban search and rescue teams went far and beyond the many lives
that they saved.
I had the honor to meet with Mr. Dave Downey, the team leader of the
Miami-Dade County urban search and rescue unit, just a couple of weeks
ago here in D.C. to thank and congratulate him for the heroic service
not just of Mr. Downey, but of his entire team. And I extend my
heartfelt gratitude to all our urban search and rescue workers who
deployed in the aftermath of the Haiti earthquake.
I talked about the Miami-Dade part of this rescue effort, but I also
commend Miami Fire Chief Maurice Kemp and the City of Miami Department
of Fire-Rescue for their heroic service in these efforts. The word
``team'' comes up a lot in this resolution, and that is how they acted,
as a team, not as one unit versus another, but how we can come together
as a nation. They represented the best of what America has to offer.
I thank my good friend, the Congressman, for introducing this
important measure. I encourage my colleagues to support it. And I am so
glad that Mr. McMahon put in there the contributions of Miami and
Miami-Dade rescue units.
Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res.
1059--Honoring the heroism of the seven United States Agency for
International Development and Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster
Assistance supported urban search and rescue teams deployed to Haiti
from New York City, New York, Fairfax County, Virginia, Los Angeles
County, California, Miami, Florida, Miami-Dade County, Florida, and
Virginia Beach, Virginia, and commending their dedication and
assistance in the aftermath of the January 12, 2010 Haitian earthquake.
As you know, on Tuesday, January 12th, 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.
America is responding, and will continue to respond with immediate
humanitarian assistance to help the people of this struggling island
nation rebuild their livelihoods. I send my condolences to the people
and government of Haiti as they grieve once again in the aftermath of a
natural disaster. As Haiti's neighbor, I believe it is the United
States' responsibility
[[Page H673]]
to help Haiti recover, and build the capacity to mitigate against
future disasters.
To date the United States Government has contributed over $402
million in earthquake response funding for Haiti. It has also deployed
approximately 17,000 military personnel in support of the relief
effort. Subsequently, as part of the new Government of Haiti-led
effort, the U.N. World Food Program will provide commodities, non-
governmental organizations will manage distributions, and U.S. Military
will provide security escorts.
American and her allies have already initiated a comprehensive,
interagency response to the earthquake. The State Department,
Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, Coast Guard,
USAID--all worked overnight to ensure critical resources were
positioned to support the response and recovery effort, including
efforts to find and assist American citizens in Haiti.
Within days of last week's devastating earthquake, 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. military engineers,
operational planners, and a command and control group and communication
specialists arriving on two C-130 Hercules aircraft. Since, there has
been a tremendous interagency response with support and partnering 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.
Within hours of the earthquake, the United States sent world-class
teams of search and rescue to help search for survivors. These teams,
from all across the country comprised roughly one-third of the entire
international USAR effort in Haiti. In total, the United States sent
over five hundred and eleven 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.
The search and rescue teams were, quite literally, our first
responders. At a moment's notice these men and women packed their bags
and left their homes to confront the aftermath of the largest natural
disaster in recent memory. I commend them for their readiness and
tireless commitment to saving lives. Madam Speaker, over a month has
passed since the earthquake, the search and rescue missions have ended,
and Haiti has transitioned to long term reconstruction and development.
Recently, I proposed a plan that would increase the ability of the
U.S. to assist Haiti in its efforts toward reconstruction and
stabilization to Dr. Rajiv Shah, the Administrator of the U.S. Agency
for International Development.
This plan would create an oversight position within the USAID that
would coordinate and regulate faith-based and non-profit organizations
operating in the reconstruction efforts in Haiti. I also recommended
the creation of a U.S. civilian corps, an extension of the American
Peace Corps, that would be tasked the specific mission of assisting
reconstruction efforts in Haiti. This civilian entity would serve as a
supplemental contingent which could be incrementally dispatched as
needed by U.S. Government agencies or Nongovernment Organization.
Once again I stand in solidarity with the people of Haiti and will do
everything in my power to assist them with rebuilding their country and
livelihoods. I am proud of our first responders, and pledge that
America's long term commitment to Haiti will live up to the standard
that the first responders set.
Mr. WOLF. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 1059, a
resolution honoring the heroism of the seven urban search and rescue
teams deployed to Haiti from New York City, New York; Fairfax County,
Virginia; Los Angeles County, California; Miami, Florida; Miami-Dade
County, Florida; and Virginia Beach, Virginia, and commending their
dedication and assistance in the aftermath of the horrific January 12
Haitian earthquake.
I was pleased to be an original cosponsor of this resolution which
congratulates the more than 500 rescue workers, some of whom are from
my congressional district in Fairfax County, for the lives they helped
save and for the work they undertook to train additional international
teams working in Haiti.
The enormity of the destruction that Haiti has experienced is
difficult to comprehend. But in the face of this devastation, selfless
men and women from around our country have given of their time and
talents to help a people and a nation in desperate need. I join my
colleagues in recognizing and thanking them for their service.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. McMAHON. I thank the ranking member of the committee for those
remarks, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from New York (Mr. McMahon) that the House suspend the rules
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1059, as amended.
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. McMAHON. 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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