[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 15]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 21304]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TO COUNTRIES OF 
 CARIBBEAN DEVASTATED BY HURRICANES CHARLEY, FRANCES, IVAN, AND JEANNE

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. KENDRICK B. MEEK

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, October 4, 2004

  Mr. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Con. 
Res. 496, a bill I cosponsored, which expresses the sense of Congress 
on the need for humanitarian assistance to hurricane-ravaged Caribbean 
countries. As you know, Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne 
struck the Caribbean, leading to widespread destruction and 
devastation.
  This is a matter of great concern to me because many of my 
constituents in Dade and Broward Counties are from, have ancestors 
from, or have relatives presently living on the islands of the 
Caribbean. I also represent the largest Haitian constituency in the 
country. Of all the islands in the Caribbean, Haiti was particularly 
hard hit. As of today, the toll was more than 2,900 dead or missing and 
presumed dead. An estimated 300,000 Haitians are left homeless. The 
extent of this destruction has severely strained the already meager 
resources of the government, law enforcement authorities, and the 
United Nations forces in Haiti.
  Haiti especially has suffered. Just yesterday, the Washington Post 
reported the heartwrenching story of Monise Alsenor, a Haitian mother, 
two of whose children are missing after water tore through her house 
and swept her family away. She could not reach her children as they 
yelled ``save me!'' in Creole. She and her husband spent the night 
holding onto a tree while the water tugged at them and the tree thorns 
ripped off their clothes. There are still reports of people living on 
roofs and of food and water shortages. The New York Times reported that 
two men were found lying in a semi-conscious state on the ground near 
an Argentine-run clinic. Doctors said that the two men appeared to have 
not eaten in several days and demonstrated signs of psychological 
trauma. I cite these accounts as examples of the terrible circumstances 
under which Haitians have suffered. Similar stories could sadly, easily 
be found thousands of times over throughout this poorest of nations and 
other countries in the Caribbean.
  After Hurricane Jeanne ravaged the city of Gonaives, the 
international community's response was impressive. Trinidad-Tobago 
pledged $5 million in aid. Venezuela pledged $1 million and sent food, 
water, and medicine. Argentina dispatched rescue workers and supplies. 
Brazilians sent medical supplies. Chile also sent emergency aid, as did 
the Spanish, and the French.
  Incredibly, the Bush Administration has been slow to respond to this 
tragedy. In the first several days after the disaster, as news reports 
out of Haiti detailed the widespread death, destruction and suffering, 
the United States was virtually silent while other nations, including 
European Union countries and Venezuela, immediately stepped in to help. 
For this reason, I wrote to President Bush to ask for substantial and 
immediate aid to help the flood victims. A copy of my letter follows 
this statement.
  President Bush has proposed $12.2 billion for hurricane relief and 
recovery in Florida and the Southern states. $50 million of these funds 
are set aside for the Caribbean nations, and almost half is intended 
for Haiti. However, in the words of the Washington Post: ``The amount 
set aside for the Caribbean nations is a pittance--not to mention a 
fraction of what was spent on U.S. military interventions in Haiti and 
Grenada.'' Millions more will be needed to help Haiti alone recover 
from Hurricane Jeanne's aftermath. The Bush administration should be 
supportive in a more substantial way.
  It is because of these horrendous conditions that I support 
Congresswoman Lee's resolution. I call on this administration to 
provide greater humanitarian and emergency assistance to Haiti and 
other Caribbean nations.

                                               September 22, 2004.
     President George W. Bush,
     The White House,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear President Bush: I write to bring to your personal 
     attention a humanitarian crisis of the highest magnitude in 
     Haiti and to ask that your Administration follow the lead of 
     other nations and provide substantial and immediate 
     assistance to help ease the desperate suffering of the people 
     of Haiti.
       Tropical Storm Jeanne caused devastating floods that 
     ravaged this impoverished country this past weekend. As of 
     this morning, the death toll in Haiti exceeded 800, with 
     1,000 missing. The death toll increases steadily as the water 
     recedes.
       Haiti is already the poorest nation in the Western 
     Hemisphere, and this latest crisis has made conditions there 
     even worse. This crisis also comes on the heels of ruinous 
     floods four months ago when over 3,000 Haitians were killed, 
     missing, or presumed dead. According to eyewitness accounts, 
     there are bodies scattered in the streets. Some are forced to 
     camp on the roofs of mud-filled homes. Unimaginably, families 
     were sleeping in trees because of the destruction.
       Numerous news reports document a desperate need for food, 
     water, medicine, shelter and clothing. The Bishop of the 
     Catholic Diocese of Gonaives said that the possibility exists 
     that several thousand Haitians may die of starvation. ``We 
     have nothing,'' he is quoted by the Associated Press as 
     saying. ``About 80 to 90 percent of the houses are under 
     water.''
       The present interim government of Haiti is totally 
     unequipped and unable to deal with this massive crisis. It 
     has neither the necessary resources nor the organization. 
     Private voluntary groups are also reportedly overwhelmed by 
     the enormity of this crisis, and there are numerous reports 
     of mobs seizing aid vehicles. Transportation in Haiti, 
     extremely difficult even in the best of times, is 
     particularly crippled now.
       However, despite the fact that this crisis struck Haiti 
     over four days ago, the Administration reportedly has 
     released only $60,000 in relief assistance to CARE. This is 
     wholly inadequate to properly respond to this disaster. It 
     pales compared to the $1.8 million provided by the European 
     Union and $1 million and rescue supplies from Venezuela. 
     Other nations are already acting. It is a national 
     embarrassment that the United States of America should 
     respond so slowly and inadequately to so great a crisis in a 
     country so close to our shores. While your Administration 
     assesses, monitors and watches, the suffering in Haiti gets 
     worse.
       Haiti does not need expressions of sympathy; it does not 
     need promises. Haiti needs concrete help, and it needs it 
     right now. Your Administration has a responsibility to 
     immediately send significant U.S. emergency assistance to 
     Haiti in the form of food, medicine, fresh water, clothing 
     and emergency shelter and to immediately coordinate, with the 
     international community, the manpower, transportation and 
     distribution of these needed commodities to provide immediate 
     relief to the people of Gonaives and the surrounding 
     countryside.
       The time frame for this aid should be hours, not weeks or 
     months. Thank you for your attention and I look forward to 
     your prompt reply to this urgent matter.
           Sincerely yours,
                                                 Kendrick B. Meek,
     Member of Congress.

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