[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 71 (Wednesday, May 12, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H3338-H3339]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     RECOGNIZING AVIATION CONTRIBUTIONS IN HAITI EARTHQUAKE RELIEF

  Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and concur in the 
concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 61) expressing the sense of the 
Congress that general aviation pilots and industry should be recognized 
for the contributions made in response to Haiti earthquake relief 
efforts.
  The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution.
  The text of the concurrent resolution is as follows:

                            S. Con. Res. 61

       Whereas on January 12, 2010, the country of Haiti suffered 
     a devastating earthquake;
       Whereas after the earthquake, general aviation pilots 
     rallied to provide transportation for medical staff and 
     relief personnel;
       Whereas more than 4,500 relief flights were made by general 
     aviators in the first 30 days after the earthquake;
       Whereas business aircraft alone conducted more than 700 
     flights, transporting 3,500 passengers, and over 1,000,000 
     pounds of cargo and supplies;
       Whereas relief flights were fully paid for by individual 
     pilots and aircraft owners;
       Whereas smaller general aviation aircraft were able to 
     deliver supplies and medical personnel to areas outside Port-
     Au-Prince which larger aircraft could not serve; and
       Whereas the selfless efforts of the general aviation 
     community have saved countless lives and provided 
     humanitarian assistance in a time of need: Now, therefore, be 
     it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That the United States Congress--
       (1) recognizes the many contributions of the general 
     aviation pilots and industry to the Haiti earthquake relief 
     efforts; and
       (2) encourages the continued generosity of general aviation 
     pilots and operators in the ongoing humanitarian relief 
     efforts in Haiti.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Tennessee (Mr. Cohen) and the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Graves) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Tennessee.


                             General Leave

  Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 
5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and add 
extraneous material as necessary on S. Con. Res. 61.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Tennessee?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of S. Con. Res. 61, a 
resolution which recognizes the many contributions of private pilots 
and the general aviation industry to the Haiti earthquake relief 
efforts and encourages the continued generosity of general aviation 
pilots and operators in ongoing humanitarian relief efforts in Haiti.
  On January 12, 2010, a devastating earthquake struck Haiti, leaving 
up to 300,000 dead and 300,000 injured. Private pilots and businesses 
banded together to conduct an estimated 4,500 relief flights during the 
30-day period following the earthquake. Business aircraft transported 
approximately 3,500 passengers and delivered over 1 million pounds of 
cargo and supplies to the Haitian people.
  General aviation aircraft were vital for getting help to smaller 
communities that otherwise faced great difficulty in receiving aid. 
Media accounts described pilots ferrying supplies between nearby 
countries, like the Dominican Republic, to small towns in Haiti. They 
would often land on not much more than dirt roads. General aviation 
aircraft transported

[[Page H3339]]

critical supplies like food, blankets, medication, and medical 
equipment as well. The fuel from these aircraft was even used in some 
cases to help generators continue running. The aircraft carried medical 
staff and relief personnel from the United States to Haiti to assist in 
relief efforts, including a group that came from my hometown of 
Memphis, from LeBonheur Children's Hospital. They spent quite a bit of 
time down there.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting S. Con. Res. 61.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GRAVES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of Senate Concurrent Resolution 
61, a resolution recognizing general aviation pilots and the general 
aviation industry for their contributions in response to the Haiti 
earthquake relief efforts. As we all know, on January 12, 2010, the 
country of Haiti suffered a devastating earthquake. Immediately after 
the earthquake, general aviation pilots began providing transportation 
for medical staff and relief personnel. More than 4,500 flights were 
made by general aviators in the first 30 days, and business aircraft 
alone conducted more than 700 flights, transporting 3,500 passengers 
and over 1 million pounds of cargo--fully paid for by individual pilots 
and aircraft owners.
  I would also like to take this opportunity to recognize the efforts 
of the Corporate Aviation Responding in Emergencies organization, 
called CARE, one of the largest contributors to Haiti response efforts. 
CARE is a group of volunteers from the business aviation community that 
coordinate relief flights in response to disasters. It was formed in 
response to Hurricane Katrina, and participants flew about 175 missions 
and moved approximately 1,000 people and 250,000 pounds of supplies.
  The earthquake in Haiti produced another situation that was the 
fundamental case for business and general aviation. It needed quick 
reaction, decentralized response, and efficiency. Business and general 
aviation was the only response entity that could do all three. CARE 
Operation Haiti has included more than 750 flights with 4,000 
passengers, and over a million pounds of critical medical supplies. 
CARE passengers have included medical personnel, relief workers, newly 
adopted children, injured patients, and missionaries. Over 100 aircraft 
have been activated for the program, flying more than $5 million worth 
of flight hours.

                              {time}  1200

  Again, I would like to recognize the contributions of CARE and all 
those who took part in relief efforts in Haiti. I also would like to 
extend my deepest sympathies to the victims and families who have been 
impacted by this devastating disaster.
  Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman 
from Michigan (Mr. Ehlers).
  Mr. EHLERS. I thank the gentleman for yielding. I said much of what I 
could say on this particular resolution when I discussed the previous 
one, and noted that it is important to recognize that general aviation 
is very, very important to our Nation. It serves so many people so 
well. I will not bother to repeat all the points I made earlier, but I 
simply want to say that I think this is an excellent resolution, and I 
hope that everyone in this Chamber will vote for it and that it will go 
into effect.
  Mr. COHEN. I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GRAVES. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time. I 
urge my colleagues to support this resolution, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. COHEN. Madam Speaker, before we close, I want to take an 
opportunity, because I don't know if I will have the opportunity on the 
floor to do it. Mr. Ehlers is retiring during this Congress. When I was 
a freshman in 2006, he was the head of the Committee on House 
Administration that helped welcome all the freshmen and get us oriented 
to Congress, and he was one of the first influences on my experience in 
Congress. It was an excellent one. You are a gentleman. It's been an 
honor serving with you, and I thank you for your contributions to the 
Class of 2006. I wish you Godspeed.
  Mr. PETRI. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of Senate Concurrent 
Resolution 61, Expressing the sense of the Congress that general 
aviation pilots and industry should be recognized for the contributions 
made in response to Haiti earthquake relief efforts.
  On January 12, 2010, Haiti experienced a disastrous earthquake that 
overwhelmed its disaster relief capabilities. The world responded.
  In addition to relief offered by governments from around the world, 
individual general aviation pilots did what they could to support the 
relief effort.
  To help meet the desperate need for supplies to help those displaced 
by the earthquake, general aviation pilots made over 4,500 relief 
flights within the first thirty days after the disaster.
  Some 3,500 passengers and 1 million pounds of cargo were transported 
by large general aviation aircraft, and general aviation pilots in 
smaller aircraft were able to serve areas that larger aircraft could 
not access, delivering critical medical personnel and supplies.
  This concurrent resolution recognizes the magnanimous efforts of the 
general aviation community in the response to this terrible disaster. 
The extraordinary efforts of these general aviation pilots and the 
general aviation community saved countless lives and helped to ease the 
suffering of those in need.
  The Senate adopted this resolution by unanimous consent on April 29, 
2010. On this, the 4-month anniversary of the earthquake, I urge my 
colleagues to adopt this resolution recognizing the efforts of those 
who came to the aid of the people of Haiti.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this 
resolution, S. Con. Res. 61, which recognizes the many contributions of 
the private pilots and the general aviation industry to the Haiti 
earthquake relief efforts and encourages the continued generosity of 
general aviation pilots and operators in ongoing humanitarian relief 
efforts in Haiti.
  On January 12, 2010, the Republic of Haiti experienced a devastating 
earthquake, leaving up to an estimated 300,000 dead and 300,000 
injured. It is also estimated that more than 4,500 relief flights were 
conducted by general aviation aircraft during the 30-day period 
following the earthquake. Business aircraft transported approximately 
3,500 passengers and delivered more than one million pounds of cargo 
and supplies to the Haitian people. All of this was accomplished 
through the generosity of individual pilots and aircraft owners.
  General aviation aircraft were vital for getting help to smaller 
communities that were impacted in the Haitian countryside. Light planes 
landed on shorter airstrips and distributed urgently-needed supplies to 
medical professionals and people on the ground, bypassing the congested 
Port-au-Prince airport.
  General aviation aircraft and pilots assisted in delivering supplies, 
including water purification kits, tarps, medical supplies, blankets, 
and towels. Medical staff and relief personnel were also transported on 
these aircraft from the United States to Haiti to conduct relief work. 
Companies, business aviation and private pilots, nongovernmental relief 
organizations, aviation groups, and others banded together in the 
earthquake's aftermath to assist in the Haiti relief effort.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting S. Con. Res. 61.
  Mr. COHEN. I would like to ask that all of our Members join in 
supporting S. Con. Res. 61. I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Ms. McCollum). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Cohen) that the House 
suspend the rules and concur in the concurrent resolution, S. Con. Res. 
61.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the concurrent resolution was concurred in.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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