Haiti Criminal Collusion Transparency Act of 2023

Floor Speech

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Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE. Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Meeks and Chairman McCaul for their leadership.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1684. This timely piece of legislation, which I cosponsored, calls attention to the unprecedented humanitarian and security crisis unfolding just miles from our shores in Haiti.

Despite reports that sexual violence, kidnappings, displacement, and indiscriminate killings have swept the country, the international community has in many ways left Haitians to fend for themselves again, as usual.

The last thing we should do is write off Haiti's struggles as hopeless and insurmountable. The Haitian people have a long history of resilience and grit in the face of relentless man-made and natural disasters. After all, this is a country born out of the fight for dignity and human rights against colonialism, systemic racism, and slavery.

Haitians are a people who have confronted every unthinkable obstacle that has come their way, and they have persevered against the odds.

We must continue to support the Haitian people with concerted international action and intentional policies like this bill.

I am glad that this bill takes a strong step in holding accountable the economic and political elites who are perpetuating and benefiting from the country's chronic insecurity.

I know there are Members on both sides of the aisle who are deeply invested in Haiti's future and represent Haitian constituents. I worked with some of them to introduce a resolution calling for a redoubling of diplomatic efforts to help achieve a solution to the current impasse.

There is more we can do, and there is more we must do in a strong bipartisan way.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues not to turn a blind eye to Haiti, not to forget the Haitian people, and to support this important legislation. Haiti is our neighbor. Haiti deserves more.

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