On the recordMay 28, 2010
Mr. President, it has been more than 4 months since an earthquake struck Haiti, devastating not only its citizens, but also the support infrastructure--government, NGO and international--that is critical in responding to such emergencies. The U.S. and the international community rallied to Haiti's aid. Americans put their concerns to action, whether by writing to elected officials in support of greater assistance to Haiti, as so many of my constituents have done, or by contributing their own time and resources. Although it might seem to the people of Haiti, that along with the original flurry of media attention, the support of the American people has now dissipated, this is not the case. I continue to hear regularly from the people of Wisconsin, who write not only to express their thoughts and prayers for the Haitian people, but who also request that their government do everything in its power to provide continuously needed relief and to encourage close collaboration with the Haitian people to support long-term recovery and rebuilding efforts. I was pleased to support Senator Kerry's Haiti Empowerment, Assistance, and Rebuilding Act of 2010, as amended, out of committee earlier this week and appreciate the signal it sends about our ongoing dedication to helping the people of Haiti get back on their feet in this time of great need.…





