[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 5 (Wednesday, January 12, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E55]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      HAITI EARTHQUAKE ANNIVERSARY

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, January 12, 2011

  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, January 12, 2010, Haiti was devastated 
by the most powerful earthquake to strike that nation in over 200 
years.
  The wave of destruction to follow was unprecedented.
  In just 35 seconds, one-third of the country had been directly 
impacted by the worst natural disaster to ever hit the Western 
Hemisphere.
  Today, one year later, we mark the somber anniversary of this tragedy 
and honor those who lost their lives that day.
  Remarkably, in the midst of such devastation, the people of Haiti 
have forged on.
  And yesterday, I was honored to have the opportunity to travel to 
Haiti and visit with some of these men and women as they work 
tirelessly to rebuild their lives, their communities and their nation.
  I was struck by their enduring resilience and inspired by their 
perseverance.
  Sustainable recovery in Haiti will depend on strong leadership by the 
Government of Haiti, a concrete effort to stop corruption, and the 
implementation of accountability and transparency measures, as well as 
the involvement of the people of Haiti in the design and ownership of 
their future.
  It will also be important going forward that there be a transition 
away from dependency on traditional U.S. government assistance and 
instead a renewed focus on innovative public-private partnerships and 
grassroots, civil society efforts.
  To ensure that U.S. foreign assistance to Haiti remains transparent 
and effective, I also plan on introducing legislation to that end this 
Congress, calling for increased and sustained oversight over U.S. 
funding to Haiti.
  Finally, though the official OAS report has not yet been released, it 
appears that certain changes will need to be made to ensure that the 
true will of the Haitian people in electing their future 
representatives is honored and respected.
  The Haitian people deserve a leader who believes in effective, good 
governance and the rule of law.
  And it is only in adherence to these principles, that Haiti's 
recovery may be successful.

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