Haiti Earthquake

Floor Speech

Ms. CLARKE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to draw attention to the plight of Haiti. As we all know, Haiti suffered a devastating earthquake in January 2010. The magnitude 7 quake claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of Haitians, displaced over a million and left the capital of Port-au-Prince and outlying country areas in ruins.

Haiti's road to recovery has been long and arduous. Despite overwhelming support from the international community, the success of redevelopment and rebuilding efforts has been extremely limited. Even today, thousands remain in international displacement camps, many overrun with disease and violence. To date, more than a thousand have died due to the cholera outbreak. Even more continue to suffer in unspeakable poverty and squalor.

One of the strongest obstacles to meaningful recovery in Haiti has been a political environment long plagued with corruption and dishonesty. Despite the presence of over 100 observers, Haiti's presidential election two Sundays ago was overrun with allegations of fraud and overtly questionable practices. It is my hope that the election results are indeed as accurate as possible and that the former First Lady Mirlande Manigat and ruling party candidate Jude Celestin are the true, democratically elected candidates to participate in the Presidential run-off.

Although Haiti experienced numerous political and economic problems prior to the earthquake, the current level of challenges the Haitian people are facing is no longer tolerable. The United States and the international community cannot continue to accept the pace at which Haiti's recovery is taking place, while human lives are at stake. We can all do better, and to choose complacency over deliberate action would be a grave insult to humanity.

As we approach a new year and a new Congress, I urge my colleagues to never forget Haiti and the challenges its people continue to face. As the Representative of a large Caribbean-American constituency and as a daughter of Caribbean, Haiti has always been close to my heart. However, my commitment to helping Haiti does not solely come from my constituency or my familial background. It comes from my identity as a public servant and a citizen of the world. In all of my work, I will continue to give the people of Haiti a voice. I will not give up until my colleagues recognize Haiti and Haiti resurges as the pearl of the Caribbean once again.

Let us never forget that as we unite with the people of Haiti, Haitian-Americans and the Haitian Diaspora to assist with the development of this great nation, we are forever guided by the words etched indelibly on the Haitian flag, `L'Union fait la force' (Loon yon feh la force) ..... through unity, there is strength!

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