Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 1048. This resolution commends the efforts and honors the work of the men and women of USNS Comfort and the United States Navy in the immediate response to those affected by the earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12, 2010. As you know, on Tuesday, January 12, a massive, 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti near the capital of Port-au-Prince. There is still no official estimate of death or destruction but the damage to buildings is extensive and the number of injured or dead is estimated to be in the hundreds of thousands. America is responding, and will continue to respond with immediate humanitarian assistance to help the people of this struggling island nation rebuild their livelihoods. I send my condolences to the people and government of Haiti as they grieve once again in the aftermath of a natural disaster. As Haiti's neighbor, I believe it is the United States' responsibility to help Haiti recover, and build the capacity to mitigate against future disasters. To date the United States Government has contributed over $402 million in earthquake response funding for Haiti. It has also deployed approximately 17,000 military personnel in support of the relief effort. Subsequently, as part of the new Government of Haiti-led effort, the U.N. World Food Program will provide commodities, non- governmental organizations will manage distributions, and the U.S. military will provide security escorts.…
Share & report
More from Sheila Jackson Lee
It is important that the food and drug is able to be funded, that housing is able to be funded, and that the Department of Agriculture is able to be funded. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
As I traveled through the airport, I could sense the degree of excitement of many of the students who were traveling on spring break. As I entered the Capitol, it was a joy to see so many classes and families enjoying the wonderment of…
Mr. Speaker, I could not help, with my good friend and colleague eloquently speaking about the children and the pain, to rise to the floor today, having just stood on the grounds of the United States Capitol, wondering why we have not been…
Mr. Speaker, let me be very clear: We cannot shut this government down. Mr. Speaker, 4 pages, 5 pages, or 20 pages of a stopgap measure, the government cannot shut down. The rules of this House and Senate require the Congress to do its…





