[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 13]
[House]
[Pages 19058-19062]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                ASSESSING PROGRESS IN HAITI ACT OF 2013

  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 3509) to direct the Secretary of State to submit to Congress a 
report on the status of post-earthquake recovery and development 
efforts in Haiti, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 3509

       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 2013''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds the following:
       (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 were 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 economic growth spurring broader poverty 
     reduction.
       (4) According to the World Food Program, more than 
     6,700,000 people in Haiti (out of a population of about 
     10,000,000) are considered food insecure nationally.
       (5) In October 2010, an unprecedented outbreak of cholera 
     in Haiti resulted in over half a million 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 the 
     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) On October 9, 2013, the Committee on Foreign Affairs 
     of the House of Representatives held an oversight hearing on 
     the status and effectiveness of post-earthquake United States 
     aid to Haiti, following a House of Representatives-mandated, 
     year-long Government Accountability Office (GAO) report that 
     was highly critical of some aspects of USAID's recovery 
     effort.
       (11) According to GAO, as of June 30, 2013, USAID had 
     disbursed just 31 percent of its reconstruction funds in 
     Haiti, the port project was 2 years behind schedule and over 
     budget by an estimated $189,000,000, 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.

[[Page 19059]]

       (12) 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.
       (13) 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.
       (14) For Haiti to achieve stability and long term economic 
     growth, donor assistance will have to be carefully 
     coordinated with a commitment by the Haitian Government to 
     transparency, a market economy, rule of law, and democracy.

     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 
     Haitian people and the Haitian Government 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 Haitian civil society;
       (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 120 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act and every 180 days thereafter 
     through September 30, 2016, 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 the Haiti Rebuilding and Development 
     Strategy, 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 Haiti Rebuilding and 
     Development Strategy through 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 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 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 progress toward meeting the 
     goals and objectives, benchmarks, and timeframes specified in 
     Strategy at the project 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 an 
     assessment of, Haitian governmental and non-governmental 
     organizational capacity to undertake and sustain United 
     States-supported recovery programs;
       (5) a description of United States efforts to consult and 
     engage with Haitian Government 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 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 programs under the Post-Earthquake USG 
     Haiti Strategy: Toward Renewal and Economic Opportunity, 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 United States and Haitian Government efforts 
     to strengthen Haitian Government 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 Haitian 
     private sector in recovery and development activities and 
     coordinate programs with the private sector and other donors;
       (9) a description and assessment 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) an 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 Haitian 
     people, including a description of efforts to provide 
     documentation, reporting and procurement information in 
     Haitian Creole; and
       (12) a description of the steps Haiti is taking to 
     strengthen its capacity to receive individuals who are 
     removed, excluded, or deported from the United States.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Royce) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to 
include extraneous materials on this measure.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume 
just to share with the Members here that on January 12, 2010, there was 
a massive earthquake that struck near the Haitian capital of Port-au-
Prince, leaving some 220,000 people dead and 1.5 million people 
displaced. Since 2010, the United States has made a big commitment in 
humanitarian relief and a big commitment to reconstruction and 
development assistance in Haiti. A good bit of this was allocated to 
the U.S. Agency for International Development to support an ambitious 
recovery plan that included housing and industrial development.
  Last summer, the House Foreign Affairs Committee received a GAO 
report detailing a startling lack of progress on U.S.-funded 
reconstruction efforts in Haiti. The committee followed up by sending a 
bipartisan delegation of staff to investigate and then held an 
oversight hearing on Haiti reconstruction, where Members asked tough 
questions about USAID efforts.
  One recommendation we heard over and over was that Congress needs 
improved and more frequent reporting to ensure that we are being kept 
up to date on reconstruction activities and so that Congress can 
provide tough oversight at a time when much of the funding for Haiti 
has yet to be spent. Wasted taxpayer funding is simply unacceptable 
here.

[[Page 19060]]

  While we can help, Haitians must do better. As Haiti Special 
Coordinator Thomas Adams noted in his testimony before the committee:

       The key to sustainable improvement in Haiti lies not in the 
     generosity of donors but, rather, in the creation of economic 
     opportunity.

  I agree wholeheartedly with the special coordinator. But, 
unfortunately, Haiti currently lacks a clear and enforceable system of 
property rights, including effective property registry and titling, and 
struggles with high levels of corruption. These are serious problems 
which deter the kind of private sector investment that is the real 
future of Haiti's economy.
  Without significant improvements to Haiti's business climate, no 
amount of donor assistance is going to help. We need to work with the 
Haitian Government to improve transparency, rule of law, and democracy 
so that we can, in turn, improve the lives and economic well-being of 
the country's citizens.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to commend the gentlewoman from California, 
Representative Barbara Lee, the author of this bill, who worked with 
Ranking Member Engel, Chairman Ros-Lehtinen, and Chairman Salmon to 
craft this strong, bipartisan oversight legislation that will improve 
relief efforts. And I urge my colleagues to support the bill.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3509, the Assessing 
Progress in Haiti Act of 2013.
  I would like to begin by thanking my friend and colleague, the 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee), for introducing this important 
legislation. The Haitian people are lucky to have a friend with her 
vision and tenacity.
  It is difficult to overstate the devastation wrought by the 2010 
earthquake in Haiti that gave rise to the multinational assistance 
effort: 316,000 people dead, which is just unbelievable, including 103 
United States citizens, 101 United Nations personnel, and nearly 18 
percent of the Nation's civil service; 300,000 injured; 115,000 homes 
destroyed; and 2 million people displaced. An estimated 15 percent of 
the population of Haiti was directly affected by the disaster and 
related damages.
  I traveled to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, shortly after the quake, and I 
can attest to the fact that even those horrific statistics do not fully 
describe the waste and destruction I saw.
  The United States quickly responded to the devastation in Haiti and 
responded robustly. In fact, the post-earthquake assistance program 
remains today among our most important foreign assistance commitments 
worldwide, which brings me to the bipartisan legislation before us.
  H.R. 3509 should be understood as a culminating step in the ongoing 
oversight work of the Foreign Affairs Committee regarding that 
assistance plan. A multiyear and multibillion-dollar commitment, 
reflecting the compassion and generosity of the American people, it 
calls for ongoing vigilance, both in terms of accountability as well as 
policy direction.
  Our committee commissioned a GAO report on that assistance which 
found, among other things, that the administration was not providing 
sufficient information to the Congress to fulfill its oversight role. 
We also sent a bipartisan staff delegation to look into specific 
problems the GAO found and held a full committee hearing on the matter.
  H.R. 3509 is the logical next step. It seeks to fill the information 
gap by requiring the State Department to report on various aspects of 
our assistance program. It also includes a statement of policy that 
articulates the direction we think that assistance program should take. 
I believe that H.R. 3509 goes a significant way to achieving that goal.
  As I seem to do frequently in our committee and on the floor these 
days, I would like to once again thank the gentleman from California, 
Chairman Royce, and his wonderful staff for working in a truly 
bipartisan manner on this bill. It is genuinely appreciated by me and 
all of my Democratic colleagues on our committee.
  I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I reserve the balance 
of my time.
  Mr. ROYCE. I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ENGEL. I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. 
Lee).
  Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, first let me thank Chairman Royce 
for his tremendous leadership, for his continued support, and for his 
true efforts to create bipartisan initiatives in the legislation coming 
out of the committee. I have served with him on the committee for many, 
many years, and it has always been consistent in terms of trying to 
reach a bipartisan agreement on these bills. So, again, I thank him 
very much.
  And, of course, to the gentleman from New York, Ranking Member Engel, 
thank you, again, for your leadership and for helping to craft a bill 
that we could get to the floor, which is a bill that I think will 
really put the United States on the right side of history as it relates 
to Haiti, and also for your focus on the Western Hemisphere.
  Let me also just thank all of the original cosponsors of the 
Assessing Progress in Haiti Act of 2013, including Representatives 
Yvette Clarke, Frederica Wilson, Maxine Waters, John Conyers, Charlie 
Rangel, Gregory Meeks, Karen Bass, and, of course, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen. 
I want to thank my colleague Sheila Jackson Lee for staying strong and 
steady and supporting this legislation. And I thank them also for their 
tireless work and longstanding commitment to the well-being of Haitians 
and the country of Haiti.
  Nearly 4 years ago, I stood as chair of the Congressional Black 
Caucus and led a Special Order, recognizing the importance of our 
relationship with Haiti. A short time later, I led a delegation to 
Haiti where we witnessed the destruction and devastation firsthand.
  The Congressional Black Caucus has a long history of working with the 
Haitian people and the Haitian American community on a variety of 
issues.

                              {time}  1615

  We share a close and longstanding relationship. This has continued 
under the magnificent leadership of our current chair, Chairwoman 
Marcia Fudge.
  On January 12, 2010, a devastating 7.0 earthquake struck near Haiti's 
capital. This terrible earthquake killed hundreds of thousands and left 
1 million more homeless.
  Our government, the American people, and the international community 
responded with a tremendous outpouring of support for the Haitian 
people. However, what began as a swift and effective relief effort gave 
way to a sluggish reconstruction.
  A report by the Government Accountability Office, also cited by 
Chairman Royce, found that USAID has missed a number of its own goals 
and deadlines. Most importantly the GAO found that as of June, 2013, 
USAID had committed only 52 percent, and disbursed 35 percent, of the 
$651 million in funding for earthquake reconstruction.
  That is why passing the Assessing Progress in Haiti Act of 2013 is so 
important. With so much money yet to be disbursed, we have an 
opportunity to ensure that our assistance is as effective as possible.
  My bill helps us understand where our aid efforts stand, where they 
are going, and how USAID plans to get there. It would require the State 
Department to report on the progress of infrastructure projects, 
indicators used to measure project success, efforts to combat 
corruption, measures taken to strengthen Haitian capacity, and 
considerations of vulnerable populations.
  My bill would give us the information we need to make those 
assessments and help get the reconstruction on track.
  No one is saying that this will be easy. The road to recovery is a 
long one, and this legislation is but one small step.
  We must also keep in mind that USAID cannot fix the problem on its 
own. I commend the agency for the work it does around the world and 
encourage it to continue to address the challenges it faces in Haiti.

[[Page 19061]]

  Haitian citizens and their government, along with nongovernmental and 
intergovernmental organizations, must do their part. The Haitian 
Government will need to hold free, fair, and timely elections. I 
commend them for the steps they have already taken this week to hold 
long overdue elections next year.
  The United Nations will also need to vigorously address the cholera 
epidemic. There is no question that in October 2010, after nearly a 
century of not having cases of cholera in the country, it was 
introduced by U.N. peacekeepers.
  As I said before, I am very proud today that we are voting to 
increase the transparency and accountability of U.S. assistance to 
Haiti on a bipartisan basis. I strongly urge my colleagues to support 
this bipartisan legislation, and I look forward to continuing to work 
with them to ensure that Haiti is truly built back better and that the 
Haitian people once and for all have a future--and that future will be 
ensured by the support of the American people.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
  Mr. ENGEL. I yield the gentlewoman an additional 30 seconds.
  Ms. LEE of California. Thank you.
  I want to thank Chairman Royce's and Ranking Member Engel's staffs. I 
want to especially thank my staff, Pablo and Jirair, and all of our 
staffs here for their very diligent and steadfast work. This has taken 
us probably about 4 years to get this bill to the floor.
  Thank you again, Chairman Royce, Ranking Member Engel, and all of the 
original cosponsors for their tremendous support.
  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ENGEL. It is my pleasure to yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman 
from New York (Ms. Clarke).
  Ms. CLARKE of New York. Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member of 
the Foreign Affairs Committee and the gentlelady from California for 
yielding time for me to speak in support of H.R. 3509, the Assessing 
Progress in Haiti Act. As a representative of the second largest 
population of first- and second-generation Haitian Americans and 
Haitian immigrants, I appreciate the importance of the bill.
  It is critical that we expand communication between the executive 
branch and Congress to keep track of all monetary aid sent to Haiti, 
ensuring increased accountability and transparency.
  After the alarming findings of the GAO report and since the January 
2010 earthquake, Haitians still live in IDP camps; they continue to 
fight the cholera epidemic; and with the Haitian Government's very 
evident challenges in maintaining a sustainable democracy, it is 
imperative that Congress has all the information necessary to ensure 
that U.S. foreign aid is being administered effectively.
  Mr. Speaker, as we look to the fourth anniversary of the horrific 
earthquake, I am hopeful of the day when we can witness the full 
recovery and rebirth of the beautiful Caribbean nation of Haiti. But 
until then, we have a lot of work to do, and that is why I encourage my 
colleagues to vote in favor of H.R. 3509, the Assessing Progress in 
Haiti Act.
  Mr. ENGEL. I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas, Ms. 
Sheila Jackson Lee.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, let me thank the ranking member and the 
chairman of the full committee for their leadership and also for the 
bipartisan leadership that is noted on the Foreign Affairs Committee on 
which I had privilege to serve some years ago when we worked on a 
number of issues.
  Let me add my appreciation to the Congresswoman from California, 
Barbara Lee, who led us during her tenure as the chairman of the Black 
Caucus during an enormous crisis in Haiti and, more importantly, as a 
supporter of this legislation and efforts to see Haiti move into a new 
era of democracy and reconstruction.
  This legislation, H.R. 3509, is long overdue. I ask my colleagues to 
enthusiastically support it.
  I traveled to Haiti on any number of occasions, visiting those who 
are incarcerated in jails, and even after the earthquake, to find 
individuals who were suffering and had been incarcerated and seeing 
people who had lost their place to live, children who were out of 
school, and resources that were looking to be directed but possibly, 
Mr. Speaker, not being directed as they should.
  This legislation, of course, will do several things. It will require 
a thorough assessment of the progress in meeting the original goals 
expressed in January 2011, Post-Earthquake U.S. Haiti Strategy; provide 
a description of efforts to combat corruption and ensure public 
accountability; and assess whether or not vulnerable populations have 
been taken into account in the design and implementation of the new 
program.
  It is very important to note that even though much has been done, 
between the efforts of the international community and including USAID, 
up to 3,000 people still live in tent camps, many of whom are facing 
forced evictions as time moves on.
  Cholera has killed over 8,400 Haitians and sickened over 689,400 
since the time of this earthquake. Hundreds of thousands of Haitians 
have little or no access to potable water or basic health services, and 
Haiti is facing an impending food crisis, according to local and 
international organizations.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
  Mr. ENGEL. I yield the gentlewoman an additional 1 minute.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. H.R. 3509, I believe, will be an important step to 
gather all those who are of good intention, particularly the aid 
offered by the USAID, to be able to assess where we are and to be able 
to not only help, but feel the pain of those who have not been helped. 
I believe that it will be enormously important to look, again, at 
infrastructure, as it has impacted Port-au-Prince and the outer areas, 
which I think this legislation will be very helpful to.
  Again, it is bipartisan. We ask that this legislation be passed 
quickly in the Senate and, more importantly, that the President sign it 
to save lives.
  Finally, we wish for a democratic transition and democratic 
elections. As Haiti goes forward in its election, let's hope whatever 
government is put in place will be able to give that lifeline that this 
legislation is talking about to move Haiti forward in the 21st century.
  I ask my colleagues to support the legislation, and I thank 
Congresswoman Barbara Lee for her leadership.
  Mr. Speaker, as an original co-sponsor, I rise in strong support of 
H.R. 3509, the ``Assessing Progress in Haiti Act of 2013,'' which 
requires the Secretary of State to submit to Congress regular, detailed 
reports on the status of post-earthquake recovery and development 
efforts.
  I thank my Congressional Black Caucus colleague, Congresswoman 
Barbara Lee of California, for her leadership on this legislation.
  I also thank Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Royce (R-CA), Ranking 
Member Eliot Engel (D-NY), and Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen of Florida 
for their support and leadership in shepherding this important 
legislation to the floor.
  Mr. Speaker, nearly four years after Haiti's devastating earthquake, 
there is still far too little transparency and accountability around 
U.S. relief and reconstruction aid efforts.
  There are close to 300,000 people still living in tent camps, many of 
whom are facing forced evictions. Cholera has killed over 8,400 
Haitians and sickened over 689,400 since it was first introduced to 
Haiti in October of 2010.
  Hundreds of thousands of Haitians have little or no access to potable 
water or basic health services, and Haiti is facing an impending food 
crisis according to local and international organizations, and the 
government of Haiti.
  H.R. 3509 will greatly assist Congress in overseeing U.S. assistance 
in Haiti by providing lawmakers, the U.S. public, and Haitians with key 
details on the manner in which U.S. taxpayer money is being spent.
  According to the GAO, ``Congress lacks information on the amounts of 
funds obligated and disbursed and program-by-program progress of U.S. 
reconstruction activities [in Haiti].''
  Among other highlights, this legislation would: require a thorough 
assessment of the progress in meeting the original goals expressed in 
the January 2011 Post-Earthquake

[[Page 19062]]

U.S. Government Haiti Strategy; provide a description of efforts to 
combat corruption and ensure public accountability; and assess whether 
vulnerable populations have been taken into account in the design and 
implementation of new programs.
  Mr. Speaker, the people of Haiti continue to face tremendous 
challenges and still our help.
  That is why it is essential that we ensure that U.S. assistance to 
Haiti is delivered efficiently is more essential than ever.
  H.R. 3509 will help achieve this goal. I urge all Members to join me 
in voting for this legislation.
  Mr. ROYCE. I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, as we can all hear from the discussion here 
this afternoon, this is a very, very important bill and a very, very 
much needed bill. We have the most generous people in the world in the 
United States. We need to give help to this island which has been so 
devastated, which is really very near us geographically, and where we 
have many ties, particularly now, with the burgeoning Haitian American 
population as well.
  This is humanitarian. This is really what is right. This personifies 
and I think typifies the good intentions of this Congress and of our 
Nation. I am proud to play a part in this.
  I want to again thank Barbara Lee for all her hard work and thank 
Chairman Royce for, as we always say, a bipartisan effort. This is 
truly bipartisan and truly something of which we can all be proud.
  I urge a ``yes'' vote, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, just in closing, let me point out again the 
fact that we have a very strong bipartisan coalition of Members that 
have worked a long time on this issue of trying to forge a focus on 
repair in Haiti. We thank them for their efforts on the reconstruction.
  It is important for the people of Haiti to know that our efforts are 
best being used to help get them on solid ground and to help them get 
the foundation they need to move forward. It is also important for 
those in the United States to feel that their money is being spent 
wisely and efficiently. I think that is the intent behind this 
legislation, H.R. 3509.
  It extends and strengthens, I think, the critical oversight that we 
do in the committee over Haitian funding, and it promotes the holding 
of free, fair, and timely elections in Haiti.
  I want to thank the gentlelady from California, Congresswoman Lee, 
for her perseverance in getting this bill to the floor today. I want to 
encourage my colleagues to support it. I want to thank the ranking 
member, Mr. Engel of New York, also for his efforts to bring this bill 
up today.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to support H.R. 3509--the 
Assessing Progress in Haiti Act.
  I would like to commend my colleague, Congresswoman Barbara Lee, for 
introducing this legislation and I am happy to be an original cosponsor 
of this important bill aimed to provide greater oversight of U.S. 
taxpayer funding for reconstruction efforts in Haiti.
  This bill calls for a State Department review of the U.S. funded 
recovery and development efforts in Haiti, which began over three years 
ago in the wake of the deadly 2010 earthquake.
  In June of 2012, then-Ranking Member Berman and I requested that the 
GAO investigate the progress of reconstruction efforts in Haiti.
  This report was important to ensure that American dollars are going 
to the Haitian people who are truly in need and not resulting in fraud, 
waste and abuse.
  This year, GAO issued the report and I was disappointed to learn that 
three years after the earthquake, emergency relief efforts were still 
woefully disorganized, with much of the funds: not reaching the Haitian 
people; USAID is suffering to get some programs off the ground; and the 
lack of coordination between U.S. federal agencies is inadequate.
  As of March 2013, USAID had obligated only 45 percent and disbursed 
31 percent of funding for Haiti from the Supplemental Appropriations 
Act from 2010.
  Meanwhile, delays continue to mount and goals are being scaled back.
  For example, USAID originally planned to build 15,000 new homes.
  That number has been decreased to just 2,600 homes causing 62,000 
fewer people who will be given shelter as they attempt to recover from 
this humanitarian disaster.
  The American people deserve to know that their tax dollars are being 
spent wisely and at the same time we must ensure that we are helping 
the Haitian people recover from the earthquake and poverty.
  This requires a clear and comprehensive strategy to improve the 
situation on the ground for the people of Haiti.
  Lastly Mr. Speaker, this resolution makes it U.S. policy to promote 
the holding of free, fair, and timely elections in accordance with 
democratic principles and the Haitian Constitution.
  It is encouraging to see that the Haitian Parliament has passed a new 
electoral law and it has recently been signed by their President.
  This positive step forward can now set in motion the necessary 
requirements in order to hold senatorial and local elections next 
year--elections that have been long overdue since 2011.
  The U.S. government will stand ready to help the Haitian government 
hold these elections and ensure that every Haitian has the right to 
vote for their elected representatives.
  Once again, I am thankful that this important bill is on the floor 
today and I urge my colleagues to support this measure to ensure our 
oversight responsibility over U.S. taxpayer dollars in Haiti.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Royce) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 3509, 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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