[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 118 (Friday, July 25, 2014)]
[House]
[Pages H6838-H6839]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                ASSESSING PROGRESS IN HAITI ACT OF 2014

  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take 
from the Speaker's table the bill (S. 1104) to measure the progress of 
recovery and development efforts in Haiti following the earthquake of 
January 12, 2010, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate 
consideration in the House.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New Jersey?
  There was no objection.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                S. 1104

       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 of 2014''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress makes the following findings:
       (1) On January 12, 2010, a massive earthquake struck near 
     the Haitian capital city of Port-au-Prince, leaving an 
     estimated 220,000 people dead, including 103 United States 
     citizens, 101 United Nations personnel, and nearly 18 percent 
     of the nation's civil service, as well as 300,000 injured, 
     115,000 homes destroyed, and 1,500,000 people displaced.
       (2) According to the Post Disaster Needs Assessment 
     conducted by the Government of Haiti, with technical 
     assistance from the United Nations, the World Bank, the 
     Inter-American Development Bank, the Economic Commission for 
     Latin America and the Caribbean, and the European Commission, 
     an estimated 15 percent of the population was directly 
     affected by the disaster and related damages and economic 
     losses totaled $7,804,000,000.
       (3) Even before the earthquake, Haiti had some of the 
     lowest socioeconomic indicators and the second highest rate 
     of income disparity in the world, conditions that have 
     further complicated post-earthquake recovery efforts and, 
     according to the World Bank, have significantly reduced the 
     prospects of addressing poverty reduction through economic 
     growth.
       (4) According to the World Food Programme, more than 
     6,700,000 people in Haiti (out of a population of about 
     10,000,000) are considered food insecure.
       (5) In October 2010, an unprecedented outbreak of cholera 
     in Haiti resulted in over 500,000 reported cases and over 
     8,000 deaths to date, further straining the capacity of 
     Haiti's public health sector and increasing the urgency of 
     resettlement and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) 
     efforts.
       (6) The international community, led by the United States 
     and the United Nations, mounted an unprecedented humanitarian 
     response in Haiti, with donors pledging approximately 
     $10,400,000,000 for humanitarian relief and recovery efforts, 
     including debt relief, supplemented by $3,100,000,000 in 
     private charitable contributions, of which approximately 
     $6,400,000,000 has been disbursed and an additional 
     $3,800,000,000 has been committed as of September 30, 2013.
       (7) The emergency response of the men and women of the 
     United States Government, led by the United States Agency for 
     International Development (USAID) and the United States 
     Southern Command, as well as of cities, towns, individuals, 
     businesses, and philanthropic organizations across the United 
     States, was particularly swift and resolute.
       (8) Since 2010, a total of $1,300,000,000 in United States 
     assistance has been allocated for humanitarian relief and 
     $2,300,000,000 has been allocated for recovery, 
     reconstruction, and development assistance in Haiti, 
     including $1,140,000,000 in emergency appropriations and 
     $95,000,000 that has been obligated specifically to respond 
     to the cholera epidemic.
       (9) Of the $3,600,000,000 in United States assistance 
     allocated for Haiti, $651,000,000 was apportioned to USAID to 
     support an ambitious recovery plan, including the 
     construction of a power plant to provide electricity for the 
     new Caracol Industrial Park (CIP) in northern Haiti, a new 
     port near the CIP, and permanent housing in new settlements 
     in the Port-au-Prince, St-Marc, and Cap-Haitien areas.
       (10) According to a recent report of the Government 
     Accountability Office, as of June 30, 2013, USAID had 
     disbursed 31 percent of its reconstruction funds in Haiti, 
     the port project was 2 years behind schedule and USAID 
     funding will be insufficient to cover a majority of the 
     projected costs, the housing project has been reduced by 80 
     percent, and the sustainability of the power plant, the port, 
     and the housing projects were all at risk.
       (11) GAO further found that Congress has not been provided 
     with sufficient information to ensure that it is able to 
     conduct effective oversight at a time when most funding 
     remains to be disbursed, and specifically recommends that a 
     periodic reporting mechanism be instituted to fill this 
     information gap.
       (12) Donors have encountered significant challenges in 
     implementing recovery programs, and nearly 4 years after the 
     earthquake, an estimated 171,974 people remain displaced in 
     camps, unemployment remains high, corruption is rampant, land 
     rights remain elusive, allegations of wage violations are 
     widespread, the business climate is unfavorable, and 
     government capacity remains weak.
       (13) For Haiti to achieve stability and long term economic 
     growth, donor assistance will have to be carefully 
     coordinated with a commitment by the Government of Haiti to 
     transparency, a market economy, rule of law, and democracy.
       (14) The legal environment in Haiti remains a challenge to 
     achieving the goals supported by the international community.

     SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF POLICY.

       It is the policy of the United States to support the 
     sustainable rebuilding and development of Haiti in a manner 
     that--
       (1) promotes efforts that are led by and support the people 
     and Government of Haiti at all levels so that Haitians lead 
     the course of reconstruction and development of Haiti;
       (2) builds the long term capacity of the Government of 
     Haiti and civil society in Haiti;
       (3) reflects the priorities and particular needs of both 
     women and men so they may participate equally and to their 
     maximum capacity;
       (4) respects and helps restore Haiti's natural resources, 
     as well as builds community-level resilience to environmental 
     and weather-related impacts;
       (5) provides timely and comprehensive reporting on goals 
     and progress, as well as transparent post program evaluations 
     and contracting data;
       (6) prioritizes the local procurement of goods and services 
     in Haiti where appropriate; and
       (7) promotes the holding of free, fair, and timely 
     elections in accordance with democratic principles and the 
     Haitian Constitution.

     SEC. 4. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

       It is the sense of Congress that transparency, 
     accountability, democracy, and good governance are integral 
     factors in any congressional decision regarding United States 
     assistance, including assistance to Haiti.

     SEC. 5. REPORT.

       (a) In General.--Not later than December 31, 2014, and 
     annually thereafter through December 31, 2017, the Secretary 
     of State shall submit to Congress a report on the status of 
     post-earthquake recovery and development efforts in Haiti.
       (b) Contents.--The report required by subsection (a) shall 
     include--
       (1) a summary of ``Post-Earthquake USG Haiti Strategy: 
     Toward Renewal and Economic Opportunity'', including any 
     significant changes to the strategy over the reporting period 
     and an explanation thereof;
       (2) a breakdown of the work that the United States 
     Government agencies other than USAID and the Department of 
     State are conducting in the Haiti recovery effort, and the 
     cost of that assistance;
       (3) an assessment of the progress of United States efforts 
     to advance the objectives of the ``Post-Earthquake USG Haiti 
     Strategy: Toward Renewal and Economic Opportunity'' produced 
     by the Department of State, compared to what remains to be 
     achieved to meet specific goals, including--
       (A) a description of any significant changes to the 
     Strategy over the reporting period and an explanation 
     thereof;
       (B) an assessment of progress, or lack thereof, over the 
     reporting period toward meeting the goals and objectives, 
     benchmarks, and timeframes specified in the Strategy, 
     including--
       (i) a description of progress toward designing and 
     implementing a coordinated and sustainable housing 
     reconstruction strategy that addresses land ownership, secure 
     land tenure, water and sanitation, and the unique concerns of 
     vulnerable populations such as women and children, as well as 
     neighborhood and community revitalization, housing finance, 
     and capacity building for the Government of Haiti to 
     implement an effective housing policy;
       (ii) a description of United States Government efforts to 
     construct and sustain the proposed port, as well as an 
     assessment of the current projected timeline and cost for 
     completion; and
       (iii) a description of United States Government efforts to 
     attract and leverage the investments of private sector 
     partners to the CIP, including by addressing any policy 
     impediments;
       (C) a description of the quantitative and qualitative 
     indicators used to evaluate the

[[Page H6839]]

     progress toward meeting the goals and objectives, benchmarks, 
     and timeframes specified in the Strategy at the program 
     level;
       (D) the amounts committed, obligated, and expended on 
     programs and activities to implement the Strategy, by sector 
     and by implementing partner at the prime and subprime levels 
     (in amounts of not less than $25,000); and
       (E) a description of the risk mitigation measures put in 
     place to limit the exposure of United States assistance 
     provided under the Strategy to waste, fraud, and abuse;
       (4) a description of measures taken to strengthen, and 
     United States Government efforts to improve, Haitian 
     governmental and nongovernmental organizational capacity to 
     undertake and sustain United States-supported recovery 
     programs;
       (5) as appropriate, a description of United States efforts 
     to consult and engage with Government of Haiti ministries and 
     local authorities on the establishment of goals and 
     timeframes, and on the design and implementation of new 
     programs under the Post-Earthquake USG Haiti Strategy: Toward 
     Renewal and Economic Opportunity;
       (6) a description of efforts by Haiti's legislative and 
     executive branches to consult and engage with Haitian civil 
     society and grassroots organizations on the establishment of 
     goals and timeframes, and on the design and implementation of 
     new donor-financed programs, as well as efforts to coordinate 
     with and engage the Haitian diaspora;
       (7) consistent with the Government of Haiti's ratification 
     of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, a 
     description of efforts of the Governments of the United 
     States and Haiti to strengthen Government of Haiti 
     institutions established to address corruption, as well as 
     related efforts to promote public accountability, meet public 
     outreach and disclosure obligations, and support civil 
     society participation in anti-corruption efforts;
       (8) a description of efforts to leverage public-private 
     partnerships and increase the involvement of the private 
     sector in Haiti in recovery and development activities and 
     coordinate programs with the private sector and other donors;
       (9) a description of efforts to address the particular 
     needs of vulnerable populations, including internally 
     displaced persons, women, children, orphans, and persons with 
     disabilities, in the design and implementation of new 
     programs and infrastructure;
       (10) a description of the impact that agriculture and 
     infrastructure programs are having on the food security, 
     livelihoods, and land tenure security of smallholder farmers, 
     particularly women;
       (11) a description of mechanisms for communicating the 
     progress of recovery and development efforts to the people of 
     Haiti, including a description of efforts to provide 
     documentation, reporting and procurement information in 
     Haitian Creole;
       (12) a description of the steps the Government of Haiti is 
     taking to strengthen its capacity to receive individuals who 
     are removed, excluded, or deported from the United States; 
     and
       (13) an assessment of actions necessary to be taken by the 
     Government of Haiti to assist in fulfilling the objectives of 
     the Strategy.

     SEC. 6. STRATEGY.

       (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, acting 
     through the Assistant Secretary of State for Western 
     Hemisphere Affairs, shall coordinate and transmit to the 
     Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on 
     Appropriations of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign 
     Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
     Representatives a three-year Haiti strategy based on rigorous 
     assessments that--
       (1) identifies and addresses constraints to sustainable, 
     broad-based economic growth and to the consolidation of 
     responsive, democratic government institutions;
       (2) includes an action plan that outlines policy tools, 
     technical assistance, and anticipated resources for 
     addressing the highest-priority constraints to economic 
     growth and the consolidation of democracy, as well as a 
     specific description of mechanisms for monitoring and 
     evaluating progress; and
       (3) identifies specific steps and verifiable benchmarks 
     appropriate to provide direct bilateral assistance to the 
     Government of Haiti.
       (b) Elements.--The strategy required under subsection (a) 
     should address the following elements:
       (1) A plan to engage the Government of Haiti on shared 
     priorities to build long-term capacity, including the 
     development of a professional civil service, to assume 
     increasing responsibility for governance and budgetary 
     sustainment of governmental institutions.
       (2) A plan to assist the Government of Haiti in holding 
     free, fair and timely elections in accordance with democratic 
     principles.
       (3) Specific goals for future United States support for 
     efforts to build the capacity of the Government of Haiti, 
     including to-
       (A) reduce corruption;
       (B) consolidate the rule of law and an independent 
     judiciary;
       (C) strengthen the civilian police force;
       (D) develop sustainable housing, including ensuring 
     appropriate titling and land ownership rights;
       (E) expand port capacity to support economic growth;
       (F) attract and leverage the investments of private sector 
     partners, including to the Caracol Industrial Park;
       (G) promote large and small scale agricultural development 
     in a manner that reduces food insecurity and contributes to 
     economic growth;
       (H) improve access to potable water, expand public 
     sanitation services, reduce the spread of infectious 
     diseases, and address public health crises;
       (I) restore the natural resources of Haiti, including 
     enhancing reforestation efforts throughout the country; and
       (J) gain access to safe, secure, and affordable supplies of 
     energy in order to strengthen economic growth and energy 
     security.
       (c) Consultation.--In devising the strategy required under 
     subsection (a), the Secretary should--
       (1) coordinate with all United States Government 
     departments and agencies carrying out work in Haiti;
       (2) consult with the Government of Haiti, including the 
     National Assembly of Haiti, and representatives of private 
     and nongovernmental sectors in Haiti; and
       (3) consult with relevant multilateral organizations, 
     multilateral development banks, private sector institutions, 
     nongovernmental organizations, and foreign governments 
     present in Haiti.
       (d) Briefings.--The Secretary of State, at the request of 
     the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the 
     Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives, 
     shall provide a quarterly briefing that reviews progress of 
     the implementation of the strategy required under subsection 
     (a).

  The bill was ordered to be read a third time, was read the third 
time, and passed, and a motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________