[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 83 (Friday, May 28, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Page S4571]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                 HAITI

  Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, it has been more than 4 months since an 
earthquake struck Haiti, devastating not only its citizens, but also 
the support infrastructure--government, NGO and international--that is 
critical in responding to such emergencies. The U.S. and the 
international community rallied to Haiti's aid. Americans put their 
concerns to action, whether by writing to elected officials in support 
of greater assistance to Haiti, as so many of my constituents have 
done, or by contributing their own time and resources. Although it 
might seem to the people of Haiti, that along with the original flurry 
of media attention, the support of the American people has now 
dissipated, this is not the case.
  I continue to hear regularly from the people of Wisconsin, who write 
not only to express their thoughts and prayers for the Haitian people, 
but who also request that their government do everything in its power 
to provide continuously needed relief and to encourage close 
collaboration with the Haitian people to support long-term recovery and 
rebuilding efforts. I was pleased to support Senator Kerry's Haiti 
Empowerment, Assistance, and Rebuilding Act of 2010, as amended, out of 
committee earlier this week and appreciate the signal it sends about 
our ongoing dedication to helping the people of Haiti get back on their 
feet in this time of great need.
  While we work towards recovery and reconstruction, we must not lose 
focus on the immediate needs of the Haitian people--who remain in a 
suspended state of normalcy. More than 1 million people reside in 
camps, both official and informal, for the displaced. Major challenges 
remain in the areas of drainage, sanitation, food distribution, water, 
and coordination. Communicable diseases such as tetanus, malaria, and 
typhoid are on the rise. I especially share the concerns my 
constituents have raised about physical security for vulnerable 
populations, particularly women and children, who have suffered 
unacceptably from sexual violence, as well as for the disabled. Such 
populations are often the most severely affected by a lack of security 
and difficulties in accessing resources.
  I am encouraged to see funding for many of these issues and areas in 
the supplemental request, but, as always, the devil is in the details. 
We must make sure our effort to provide timely and expedited assistance 
is not done at the expense of doing it right. We must make sure we are 
coordinating with all actors working in Haiti, including the Haitian 
government, international donors and organizations and the people of 
Haiti themselves. We can better understand the needs of the Haitian 
people and ensure we are addressing them effectively if we make sure to 
incorporate their voices into the planning process. To overlook the 
voices of the very individuals who are experiencing such devastation 
would be a severe injustice and yet it appears we may be doing just 
that.
  I am troubled by reports from Haitian civil society of the obstacles 
to their full participation. We must not ignore the invaluable 
experience and insight of leaders on the ground by favoring large 
international NGOs over smaller grassroots organizations. We must make 
sure all relevant actors are at the table as we seek to implement a 
pragmatic and efficient plan for recovery. As Senator Kerry's bill 
notes, ``when the people and other civil society actors in an affected 
country play a significant role in the design and execution of the 
rebuilding efforts, the efforts are often more sustainable and more in 
line with the needs and aspirations of local populations.'' We must 
therefore facilitate the participation of civil society and the Haitian 
people as well as their collaboration with the international community 
and their government as we continue relief and transition to recovery 
and rebuilding.
  The damage done by the January 12 earthquake was all the more 
destructive because Haiti, the poorest country in the Western 
Hemisphere, was still recovering from the devastating hurricane season 
of 2008, and still struggling with poverty and stability. Prior to the 
earthquake, the U.N. and the U.S. Government, along with many domestic 
and international partners, had been working alongside the Haitian 
people to strengthen their country. Now more than ever, we must 
redouble our efforts to ensure that priorities and needs do not go 
unmet and that in relief and recovery we give the Haitian people, and 
through them our own citizens and constituents, the biggest possible 
returns.

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