[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 5]
[House]
[Pages 6931-6935]
[From the U.S. 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 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.

[[Page 6932]]

       (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 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

[[Page 6933]]

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 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

[[Page 6934]]

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 
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

[[Page 6935]]

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 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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