[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 63 (Tuesday, May 10, 2011)]
[House]
[Pages H3126-H3131]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
ASSESSING PROGRESS IN HAITI ACT
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass
the bill (H.R. 1016) to measure the progress of relief, recovery,
reconstruction, and
[[Page H3127]]
development efforts in Haiti following the earthquake of January 12,
2010, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 1016
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Assessing Progress in Haiti
Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) On January 12, 2010, an earthquake measuring 7.0 on the
Richter magnitude scale struck the country of Haiti.
(2) According to the United States Geological Survey
(USGS)--
(A) the earthquake epicenter was located approximately 15
miles southwest of Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti; and
(B) the earthquake was followed by 59 aftershocks of
magnitude 4.5 or greater, the most severe measuring 6.0.
(3) According to the Government of Haiti, more than 316,000
people died as a result of the earthquake, including 103
citizens of the United States and more than 100 United
Nations personnel.
(4) According to the United Nations and the International
Organization for Migration--
(A) an estimated 3,000,000 people were directly affected by
the disaster, nearly one-third of the country's population;
and
(B) more than 2,100,000 people were displaced from their
homes to settlements.
(5) Casualty numbers and infrastructure damage, including
to roads, ports, hospitals, and residential dwellings, place
the earthquake as the worst cataclysm to hit Haiti in over
two centuries and, proportionally, one of the world's worst
natural disasters in modern times.
(6) The Post Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) conducted by
the Government of Haiti, the United Nations, the World Bank,
the Inter-American Development Bank, and other experts
estimates that damage and economic losses totaled
$7,804,000,000, approximately 120 percent of Haiti's gross
domestic product in 2009.
(7) Haiti is the poorest, least developed country in the
Western Hemisphere with, prior to the earthquake--
(A) more than 70 percent of Haitians living on less than $2
per day; and
(B) a ranking of 149 out of 182 countries on the United
Nations Human Development Index.
(8) House Resolution 1021, which was passed on January 21,
2010, on a vote of 411 to 1 expressed--
(A) the House of Representatives' ``deepest condolences and
sympathy for the horrific loss of life'' caused by the
earthquake; and
(B) bipartisan support for Haiti's recovery and
reconstruction.
(9) The initial emergency response of the men and women of
the United States Government, led by the United States Agency
for International Development and United States Southern
Command, was swift and resolute.
(10) United States urban search and rescue (USAR) teams
were immediately activated after the earthquake and deployed
from Fairfax County, Virginia, Los Angeles County,
California, Miami-Dade, Florida, the City of Miami, Florida,
and Virginia Beach, Virginia, to assist the United States
Agency for International Development (USAID) Disaster
Assistance Response Team (DART), and New York City's first
responders asked the Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster
Assistance (OFDA) to activate a New York City urban search
and rescue shortly thereafter.
(11) A month after the earthquake, the House of
Representatives unanimously passed House Resolution 1059
which expressed gratitude to these USAR units, and
highlighted that the 511 United States rescue workers
comprised roughly one-third of the entire international USAR
effort in Haiti, and more than 130 people were rescued from
under the rubble in Haiti by these units.
(12) Individuals, businesses, and philanthropic
organizations across the United States and throughout the
international community responded in support of Haiti and its
populace during this crisis, sometimes in innovative ways
such as fundraising through text messaging.
(13) The Haitian diaspora in the United States, which was
integral to emergency relief efforts--
(A) has annually contributed significant monetary support
to Haiti through remittances; and
(B) continues to seek opportunities to partner with the
United States Agency for International Development and other
agencies to substantively contribute to the reconstruction of
Haiti.
(14) Significant challenges still remain in Haiti as it
works to recover and rebuild.
(15) According to the International Organization for
Migration, approximately 680,000 people remain in spontaneous
and organized camps in Haiti.
(16) According to numerous nongovernmental organizations
and United States contractors, the pace of reconstruction has
lagged significantly behind the original emergency relief
phase.
(17) The widespread irregularities that occurred in the
elections held in Haiti on November 28, 2010, led to
outbursts of violence which undermined the recovery efforts.
(18) On October 21, 2010, an outbreak of cholera was
detected in the Lower Artibonite region.
(19) Initial efforts to contain the epidemic were disrupted
by Hurricane Tomas and resulting widespread flooding, which
led to the spreading and entrenchment of the disease
throughout the country.
(20) According to the Haitian Ministry of Public Health and
Population, as of March 28, 2011--
(A) approximately 4,766 people have died from cholera; and
(B) approximately 270,991 have been infected from the
disease.
(21) According to the Pan American Health Organization and
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cholera could
spread to as many as 400,000 people within the first year of
the epidemic, potentially causing 7,600 deaths at the current
case fatality rate.
(22) The United States has provided more than $62,523,017
worth of assistance to combat the cholera epidemic, including
by assisting with stockpiling health commodities, equipping
cholera treatments centers, providing public information, and
improving water and sanitation systems.
(23) The efforts to combat the cholera epidemic have helped
to drive the mortality rate from cholera down from nearly 7
percent to 1.7 percent of all contracted cases as of February
25, 2011.
(24) Throughout the series of crises, the people of Haiti
continue to demonstrate unwavering resilience, dignity, and
courage.
(25) On March 20, 2011, presidential and parliamentary
elections were held in Haiti without major disruptions or
problems.
(26) At the international donors conference ``Towards a New
Future for Haiti'' held on March 31, 2010, 59 donors pledged
over $5,000,000,000 to support Haiti.
(27) The United Nations Office of the Special Envoy for
Haiti estimates that nearly $1,900,000,000 has been
disbursed, with an additional amount of approximately
$2,000,000,000 committed.
(28) Haiti will need the support of the international
community in order to confront the ongoing cholera epidemic
and to promote reconstruction and development.
SEC. 3. REPORT.
(a) Report Required.--Not later than six months after the
date of the enactment of this Act, the President, in
consultation with the heads of all relevant agencies,
including the Department of State, the United States Agency
for International Development, the Department of Defense, the
Department of Health and Human Services, and the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention shall transmit to Congress a
report on the status of post-earthquake humanitarian,
reconstruction, and development efforts in Haiti, including
efforts to prevent the spread of cholera and treat persons
infected with the disease.
(b) Contents.--The report required by subsection (a) shall
include a description, analysis, and evaluation of the--
(1) overall progress of relief, recovery, and
reconstruction in Haiti, including--
(A) programs and projects of the United States Government;
(B) programs and projects to protect vulnerable
populations, such as internally displaced persons, children,
women and girls, and persons with disabilities; and
(C) projects to improve water, sanitation, and health, and
plans for improvements in these areas in the long-term;
(2) extent to which United States and international efforts
are in line with the priorities of the Government of Haiti
and are actively engaging and working through Haitian
ministries and local authorities;
(3) coordination among United States Government agencies,
and coordination between the United States Government and
United Nations agencies, international financial
institutions, and other bilateral donors;
(4) mechanisms for communicating the progress of recovery
and reconstruction efforts to Haitian citizens, as well as
recommendations on how these can be improved;
(5) mechanisms through which Haitian civil society,
including vulnerable populations, is actively participating
in all major stages of recovery and reconstruction efforts,
and recommendations on how these can be improved;
(6) mechanisms through which the Haitian diaspora is
involved in recovery and reconstruction efforts; and
(7) suitability of Haiti to receive aliens who are removed,
excluded, or deported from the United States pursuant to
United States law, and steps Haiti is taking to strengthen
its capacity in this regard.
(c) Use of Previously Appropriated Funds.--Funding for the
report required under subsection (a) shall derive from
existing discretionary funds of the departments and agencies
specified in such subsection.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Womack). Pursuant to the rule, the
gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) and the gentlewoman from
Florida (Ms. Wilson) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen).
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1016, a bill introduced
by my
[[Page H3128]]
friend Congresswoman Barbara Lee of California which requires a report
to Congress regarding the status of post-earthquake humanitarian
reconstruction and development efforts in Haiti.
This bill supplements my efforts under the Haiti Act, which I
introduced last Congress, to exercise greater oversight over the
disbursement of U.S. assistance to Haiti to ensure that it is meeting
the intended recipients and purposes, that it is advancing U.S.
priorities, that it is promoting Haiti's recovery, and that it is not
being derailed by waste, duplication or corruption.
This past January, Mr. Speaker, I traveled to Haiti with Secretary
Clinton's Chief of Staff and point person on Haiti to observe some of
the tremendous work the United States is doing and to learn about U.S.
plans for the future as well.
Much progress has been seen in Haiti over the past 16 months. More
than 2 million cubic meters of rubble have been cleared, there is now a
better medical system and increased access to more clean water than
before the earthquake, and the interim Haiti Reconstruction Commission
has approved 86 reconstruction projects, accounting for about one-third
of the total pledges made by international donors last year.
However, Mr. Speaker, with each stated achievement, we are reminded
of how much further Haiti has to go. Hundreds of thousands of Haitians
are reportedly still without safe and secure sustainable shelter. A
recent U.N. report found that peacekeepers in Haiti may have
contributed to the environmental contamination which could have led to
the cholera outbreak, crime is reportedly on the upswing, rising food
and gasoline prices will make day-to-day survival even more difficult
for many of the people of Haiti, and Haiti is still dealing with
lingering questions regarding the recently announced parliamentary
election results.
In order for progress in Haiti to continue, it is important that
allegations of election corruption are resolved quickly, that the
concerns of the Haitian people are put to rest, and that the duly-
elected parliamentarians are seated as soon as possible.
This weekend, President-elect Martelly is scheduled to be
inaugurated; and as the new government takes office, it has its work
cut out for it. The new leadership must make a commitment to root out
corruption at all levels in order to build trust within Haiti and with
all of Haiti's partners.
{time} 1710
The President-elect's recent statements regarding his intent to
pursue allegations of electoral fraud in the parliamentary election
results are a step in the right direction. The government must also
make certain that the Haitian people are fully consulted on the
direction in which their country is heading and that they will have
opportunities to create a better future for themselves and their
families. Civil society and local governments must increasingly become
a partner at the table of Haiti's future.
With the security situation reportedly deteriorating, it will be
important for Haiti's new leaders to commit to the necessary resources
to support the expansion of the Haitian National Police as well as
implement updates to the criminal code and other reforms to strengthen
its judicial system. I understand the United States intends to work
with the new Haitian government to help Haiti become a more business-
friendly environment.
As a proud representative of Florida's 18th Congressional District, I
can tell you firsthand the interest of U.S. businesses, organizations,
and private citizens, including the Haitian diaspora, to participate in
the recovery and the development efforts in Haiti--and that only
continues to grow stronger. More importantly, it is imperative that the
United States take every appropriate measure to ensure that our funding
and our efforts in Haiti and around the world are not squandered. This
includes accountability for U.N. contractors who owe a duty of care for
the civilians whom they are there to protect.
The report called for in this bill, H.R. 1016, will provide Members
of Congress and the public an opportunity to see what is working and,
yes, to see what is not working. I would also note that the funding
that will be needed to develop this report is directed to be pulled
from already appropriated funding. Further, CBO found that the cost of
this report in this bill is so minimal that it did not meet the
threshold of an estimate.
I would like to thank Ranking Member Berman and his staff for working
with us on this measure. I look forward to continuing to work with my
colleagues in support of our oversight efforts, and I'm so pleased to
join Congresswoman Wilson's efforts in making sure that we can provide
our great partner, Haiti, with the resources it needs to build itself
up.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. WILSON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
I rise in support of this bill, the Assessing Progress in Haiti Act.
A year and a half ago, on January 12, 2011, the world for the Caribbean
island of Haiti and for too many of my constituents changed forever. An
earthquake measuring an incredible 7.0 on the Richter scale shook the
Earth in Haiti. It killed elected officials, toppled the President's
palace, the Senate, and all of the Cabinet buildings. People are still
missing. The effect of this earthquake is still being felt today. Basic
needs such as food, water, clothing, shelter, and health services are
lacking.
Thanks to our military--the U.S. Coast Guard, which performed
thousands of hours of rescue in the first 24 hours of the earthquake;
the U.S. Marine Corps, which provided stability and protection; the
U.S. Army, which helped to establish logistics and additional
protection; the U.S. Navy, with floating hospitals and surgeons; and
the U.S. Agency for International Development--this disaster was not
the total disaster it could have been. USAID worked then and continues
to work coordinating and implementing programs with other international
organizations.
Adding further hurdles to the recovery operation has been the
widespread outbreak of cholera last October. Cholera, a disease caused
due to the lack of access to clean, clear water, has killed hundreds of
Haitians and has further set back progress in one of our closest
Caribbean neighbors. The people of Haiti deserve the opportunity to
live in a clean, safe, and economically thriving country. The people of
America deserve and want to know how their tax dollars are being spent,
and need to know that the $1.8 billion invested in Haiti will speedily
facilitate Haiti's transition to a bastion of comfort and economic
stability. That is why I support House bill 1016, the Assessing
Progress in Haiti Act.
This bill provides for one of the first times a strong, fair, and
objective accountability of how the people's money is being spent in
Haiti. This report will also analyze how well the United Nations and
other organizations and groups are coordinating their efforts to reduce
duplication. Finally, this bill thanks the heroic efforts of Miami-Dade
County's urban search and rescue teams, which hail from the 17th
Congressional District of Florida, who volunteered their time, effort,
and energy to save lives. These people saved lives and helped find
loved ones for those trapped in the rubble of the earthquake and for
those who were worried about the safety and well-being of their loved
ones.
I also would like to thank respectively the chairman and ranking
minority members of the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, Connie
Mack and Eliot Engel, and their staff for making this happen.
Representative Engel was kind enough to carry the language of my
amendment during subcommittee consideration, and Chairman Mack and both
the Democratic and Republican staff worked tirelessly toward a
compromise that worked for both sides. I also want to thank our full
committee chairman, and one who I am so proud of, my Florida colleague,
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, for managing this language in her amendment during
full committee consideration of this bill.
Perhaps a bright spot in this ongoing calamity is that Haitians
recently elected a new President, Michel Martelly, with whom we expect
to work arm-in-arm with to help rebuild Haiti. His inauguration is next
weekend. On Saturday, I traveled to Haiti. I
[[Page H3129]]
met with Mr. Martelly. I met with the senators as they debated their
new constitution. I'm hoping that that constitution will help guide
them towards the next centuries in Haiti.
There are 1,400 tent cities--not tents; tent cities--that house
850,000 residents in the streets of Haiti. No running water and one
porta-toilet for every 80 residents. Families are huddled under the
tents--mostly women and children. And because the national prison was
destroyed during the earthquake, armed bandits roam the tent cities and
sexual abuse against women and girls is rampant. The police force is
extremely compromised and not trained. The army is nonexistent. And
many bodies have not been found from this earthquake. It is inhumane to
send anybody back to such conditions. We must help rebuild Haiti. We
must support Haiti. We must support the new President from this moment
on. We must include the peasants and the agricultural community at the
table of negotiation.
Mr. Speaker, this legislation is an affirmation of the generosity and
will of the American people to come to the aid of a country in our
neighborhood that desperately needs our help. The report required by
this bill should help us channel our assistance efforts to make them as
effective and efficient as possible. The Haitian people deserve nothing
less.
I strongly urge passage of this legislation.
I reserve the balance of my time.
General Leave
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their
remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 1016, as amended.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from Florida?
There was no objection.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. WILSON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to yield 3
minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Waters).
{time} 1720
Ms. WATERS. I would like to thank the gentlelady from Florida for
extending time to me to rise in support of this bill.
I am now--and have been for many years--a big supporter of the people
of Haiti. I am the proud author of H.R. 4573, the Haiti Debt Relief and
Earthquake Recovery Act. It was that bill that freed up $828 million
that they would have had to have paid out for their debts, money that
can now go toward helping with the earthquake response.
Immediately following the earthquake, there was an outpouring of
sympathy from people in the United States and around the world; and I
am very appreciative for what our government did and for what the
people of this country did--individuals, churches. We've not always had
our politics right in Haiti, but we sure rose to the occasion with
regard to this devastating earthquake that hit Haiti.
The international community pledged a total of $9.9 billion in
reconstruction funds, including $5.3 billion for the first 2 years.
Yet, more than 1 year later, little, if any, of the money has reached
the people of Haiti. According to the U.S. Agency for International
Development, USAID, 680,000 displaced people are still living in tent
camps, and the conditions in many of these camps are appalling. There
is a critical need for food, clean water, and sanitation facilities. A
deadly outbreak of cholera has already killed more than 4,800 people
and has infected more than 280,000 people. The effects of the epidemic
were exacerbated by the lack of clean water and sanitation
infrastructure. Foreign aid without transparency will accomplish
nothing.
We owe it to the Haitian people and the American people to find out
how much of this money has actually been delivered to Haiti and where
that money went. That is why I strongly support this bill, which
requires the President to report on the status of post-earthquake
relief, recovery, reconstruction, and development efforts in Haiti. The
report must evaluate coordination among various international agencies
and donors, the extent to which U.S. and international efforts are in
line with the priorities of the Government of Haiti, and mechanisms for
Haitian civil society to participate in recovery efforts.
I am in awe of the strength and resiliency of the Haitian people. We
owe it to them to assist them in their time of need. We also owe it to
them to make certain our assistance reaches the people who need it the
most.
As I said, we've not always had our act together in Haiti. Well,
there has been a new election, and they've elected a President. There
was a lot of turmoil and disorder around this election, but it's over
now; it has been done, and we want to work with the new government to
make sure that there is transparency and that we do know what happened
to this money. So I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. WILSON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to yield 5
minutes to the distinguished gentlelady from California, Congresswoman
Barbara Lee, who is the author of this legislation.
Ms. LEE. First, let me thank the gentlelady from Florida for yielding
and for her leadership on so many issues, especially as it relates to
her community, her district, Haitians, Haiti, and the Haitian diaspora.
I rise in support of H.R. 1016, the Assessing Progress in Haiti Act,
legislation which I authored to direct the United States Government to
report on the status of humanitarian, reconstruction, and development
efforts in the aftermath of the tragic earthquake of January 12, 2010.
Let me thank Chairwoman Ros-Lehtinen for her leadership and for her
assistance in helping bring this bill to the floor. I also thank
Ranking Member Berman, Chairman Mack, Ranking Member Engel, the staffs
of the Foreign Affairs Committee, my staff, as well as the Republican
and Democratic leaders' offices for bringing this bill to the floor.
I would also like to acknowledge the hard work of my Congressional
Black Caucus colleagues. You just heard from Congresswoman Maxine
Waters in terms of her leadership and her commitment to the people of
Haiti and of so many others who have worked tirelessly in support of
the Haitian people in ongoing United States humanitarian and
reconstruction efforts in Haiti.
Today, we are provided with an opportunity to not only remember those
who have lost their lives but to reaffirm the commitment of the United
States to support Haitians as they struggle to combat the ongoing
cholera epidemic and to rebuild their neighborhoods, their country, and
their lives following the devastation of January 12.
Following the earthquake, many of us came together to pass a bill
that I authored, H. Res. 1021. This was passed by an overwhelming
bipartisan vote of 411-1. This resolution expressed solidarity with the
Haitian people and our support for the long-term reconstruction needs
of the country. Through the bill on the floor today, we are provided
with the next step--with an opportunity to assess the progress that we
have made, the extraordinary challenges that remain, and the areas in
which improvement is greatly needed.
As many of us have been many, many times over the years, I traveled
to Haiti immediately following the earthquake and again in November
during Haiti's recent elections. Once again, let me just say that I saw
real progress being made. Of course, the cholera outbreak, an ongoing
devastating setback, though, revealed the ramped-up capacity of Haiti's
national laboratory. The lab was able to identify the cholera strain
very rapidly, improving our ability to respond to the outbreak--a feat
that would really have been impossible just a year earlier. However,
significant improvements remain desperately needed.
The unprecedented relief effort has given way to a sluggish, at best,
reconstruction effort. Part of this pace can be attributed to the sheer
magnitude of the problems Haiti faces as well as Haiti's legal and
bureaucratic hurdles, including the lack of an adequate land tenure
policy. Without a doubt, though, part of the blame rests in the lack of
urgency--mind you, the lack of urgency--on the part of the
international community.
At the International Donors' Conference in March 2010, 58 donors
[[Page H3130]]
pledged over $5.5 billion to support Haiti's Action Plan for Recovery
and Development. According to the United Nations, as of March of this
year, only 37 percent of these funds have been disbursed. This is
unacceptable. If we are to break the cycle of disaster-emergency
relief-disaster, in which Haiti has been trapped for many years, we
must act with the same sense of urgency in reconstruction as we did
immediately following the quake.
In addition to delivering on our promises, we must ensure that those
promises are in line with the will of the Haitian people. The
international community recognized early on that, if our efforts were
to be sustainable, they had to reflect the priorities of the people of
Haiti. The establishment of the Interim Haiti Recovery Commission was a
very good idea in this regard; and moving forward, we must ensure that
it is inclusive, transparent, and adequately resourced.
Additionally, we must substantially improve our communication with
and the participation of Haitian civil society. The United States and
the United Nations are sponsoring outreach for civil society
organizations; however, many Haitians still hold the perception that
recovery efforts are dominated by exclusive foreign actors. Unless
civil society, which are the people of Haiti, is involved in every
major stage of the post-earthquake response, this perception will
remain, and it will prove detrimental to the sustainability of our
efforts.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
Ms. WILSON of Florida. I yield the gentlewoman an additional 30
seconds.
Ms. LEE. In this vein, we must give special priority to programs that
protect vulnerable populations, including internally displaced
persons--women, children, persons with disabilities, and others. We
must ensure that these populations are significantly involved in
recovery efforts, which reinforces their protection. The United Nations
Secretary General, for example, has specifically stated that women
should be involved in security decisions that affect their daily lives
as a means of combating the alarming level of gender-based violence
since the earthquake.
On the topic of vulnerable populations, we must take a critical look
at the resumption of deportations to Haiti. Given the fragile state in
which Haiti remains, I call on the Department of Homeland Security to
halt deportations until it proves that its policy does not violate
international human rights laws and until it demonstrates that Haiti is
able to support the influx of deportees. If we are truly committed to
helping our neighbors, we must ensure that we are not assisting Haiti
with one hand while undermining its stability with the other.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has again
expired.
Ms. WILSON of Florida. I yield the gentlewoman an additional 30
seconds.
{time} 1730
Ms. LEE. Finally, we must continue to support the Haitian Public
Health Ministry to prevent the spread of cholera, treat those affected
with the disease, and build up health systems. The international
community must plan for the long-term presence of this disease,
unfortunately, which is now endemic, and provide the necessary
resources to ensure that this planning is thorough and complete.
Throughout this unceasing series of tragedies and crises, Haitians
have continued to demonstrate unwavering resilience, dignity, and
courage.
So I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
Ms. WILSON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I had the opportunity this past
Saturday to go to Haiti and take a helicopter ride to survey all of the
damage on Haiti and all of the hope for Haiti, all of the islands and
the connecting islands of Haiti to see what was happening.
The African diaspora, which is mostly members of District 17, they
all want to help rebuild Haiti. They will apply for contracts; and if
dual nationality is granted, they will also run for office and lend
their expertise to the recovery of Haiti.
We all know that TPS expires in June. TPS, temporary protected
status, was extended to the Haitian nationals. We, along with the
Congressional Black Caucus, Congresswoman Barbara Lee, Congresswoman
Maxine Waters, and Congressman Payne, were working on trying to extend
that deadline for at least another year. Haiti is in no disposition to
accept any further deportations.
Ms. BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise in full support of H.R.
1016, a bill to measure the progress of relief, recovery,
reconstruction, and development efforts in Haiti following the
earthquake of January 12, 2010, introduced by Representative Barbara
Lee of California.
Immediately following the earthquake, Congress passed a bipartisan
resolution expressing our determination to aid Haiti through this
tragedy. I strongly believe that our nation needs to once again pledge
unwavering support to continue to lead an aggressive, coordinated
effort to aid Haiti's ongoing recovery and reconstruction.
In the wake of the disaster, the American people and the global
community rallied in solidarity with the Haitian people to provide one
of the largest relief efforts in history. And today, nearly one and a
half years after this tragedy, we must renew our support for the people
of Haiti as they struggle to combat an ongoing cholera epidemic, curb
post-election violence, and rebuild their neighborhoods, livelihoods,
and their country.
As this legislation stipulates, President Obama, ``in consultation
with the heads of all relevant agencies . . . shall transmit to
Congress a report on the status of post-earthquake humanitarian,
reconstruction, and development efforts in Haiti . . .'' and analyze
the recovery efforts being made in Haiti to date, and ensure that ``our
government is in line with the priorities of the Government of Haiti
and actively engaging and working through Haitian ministries and local
authorities'' to assist the island nation in their attempt to recover.
As the representative of Florida's Third Congressional District, I
have been a staunch advocate for the Haitian people throughout my
congressional career of nearly 20 years, and have led numerous Codels
to the island nation of Haiti. Moreover, as a Member from Florida with
a large Haitian community in my district, and considering the island
nation is located less than 700 miles from the Florida Keys, I feel it
is my duty to do everything I can to provide assistance and improve the
lives of the Haitian people.
Certainly, even before the January 12th earthquake, Haiti was the
least-developed country in our Hemisphere and one of the poorest in the
world. The island nation had a per capita income around $400, horribly
acute economic inequality, and over 80 percent of its 9 million
inhabitants surviving below the poverty level. To me, this is entirely
unacceptable, particularly given the island's proximity to the state of
Florida.
In October 2009, just two months before the earthquake, I led a
Congressional delegation to Haiti to meet with President Rene Preval to
discuss issues ranging from improving the nation's infrastructure, the
high unemployment rate and poor standard of living. Yet the horrific
earthquake that struck last January 12th made a dire situation for the
majority of the people of Haiti unimaginably worse.
Today, the nation remains devastated. A million displaced Haitians
remain in tent camps. Mountains of rubble are piled in the streets, and
billions in assistance pledged by the international community has yet
to be delivered. Meanwhile, there have been many quests regarding the
recent elections and incoming government's ability to capably lead in
recovery and development efforts.
As I'm sure everyone here knows, the massive earthquake that struck
Haiti killed 230,000 people, displaced an estimated 2 million people
from their homes, and affected one third of the country's population.
The main port, the presidential palace, the parliament, the majority of
ministry buildings, more than 50 hospitals and health centers, 1300
educational institutions, and more than 100,000 homes were left in
ruins. The earthquake, which came less than 2 years after a series of
devastating hurricanes, left millions of people in the Western
Hemisphere's poorest country living in absolutely horrific conditions.
Immediately following the earthquake, there was an outpouring of
sympathy from people in the United States and around the world.
American families opened their hearts and contributed millions to non-
profit organizations that were working around the clock to save lives.
The United States Government provided emergency medical care and
distributed food, water, and tents to the displaced, and world
governments committed more than $9 billion in aid for reconstruction at
a donors' conference in March, including more than $1 billion pledged
by the United States.
For my part, immediately following the earthquake, along with the
local community and tremendous assistance from church leaders, we
organized food and clothing drives, and encouraged people to make
donations to
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non-profits on the ground in Haiti. With assistance of area churches,
businesses, local community leaders and nonprofit organizations, we
transported seven 53-foot tractor-trailers filled with supplies with
nearly $50,000 it food, water and other items from the Jacksonville and
Orlando areas to Haiti's shores, and had the Coast Guard's assistance
in their delivery to Food for the Poor, a non-profit group operating in
Port-au-Pays, on the north side of the island.
As a key Member of the House Transportation Committee and Chair of
the Railroad subcommittee, I will continue to work hard on Capitol Hill
to find ways in which the House Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure can provide technical assistance to the nation; in
particular, in the area of rebuilding the ports, roads and general
infrastructure system throughout the island. Indeed, getting the ports
up and running, including improving customs procedures, is an essential
element in the nation's struggle to turn the corner and prosper
economically. If successfully carried out, this advancement would be a
key component in the nation's efforts to successfully recover and
prosper in the future, and improve the standard of living for the
proud, hardworking people of the island nation Haiti.
Ms. WILSON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for
time, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I also have no further requests for
time, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1016, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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