Maxine Waters: “Mr. Speaker and Members, I thank the gentleman from American Samoa, and I would like to thank the Chair of the…”

“Mr. Speaker and Members, I thank the gentleman from American Samoa, and I would like to thank the Chair of the International Relations Committee, the distinguished gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde), the ranking member of that committee, my colleague from California, Congressman Lantos, and the Chair and ranking member of the International Relations Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, Congressman Burton and Congressman Engel. I would also like to commend Congressman Foley, and before I talk a little bit about our visit, I would like to thank many Members of Congress: Congresswoman Barbara Lee, who cochairs the task force on Haiti with Congressman John Conyers and the Congressional Black Caucus; Congressman Delahunt; Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky; the many Members of Congress who have fought and stayed with the problem and did not give up. Haiti, and the people of Haiti have suffered mightily. The struggle between the haves and the have-nots is legendary, the rich versus the poor, the elite versus the rejected, the mulattos versus the blacks. Haiti needs a break. Haiti has experienced economic dislocation. It has experienced devastating hurricanes. But the people of Haiti have worked and they have believed in democracy. And so the people, on February 7, 2006, they went to the polls and they voted. More than 60 percent of the people of Haiti registered and they voted. They demonstrated their commitment to democracy. Oh, they had all kind of obstacles.…”