Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense, the Global War on Terror, and Hurricane Recovery, 2006

EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT FOR DEFENSE, THE GLOBAL WAR ON TERROR, AND HURRICANE RECOVERY, 2006 -- (House of Representatives - March 15, 2006)

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Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Chairman, my amendment speaks to the immediate needs of our southern neighbor, Haiti. This amendment would increase economic support funds by $40 million, development assistance by $5 million, and child survival and health funds by $5 million, totaling an additional $50 million for Haiti. It is my intention to offer and withdraw this amendment.

After a history of instability, poverty and democratic setbacks, Haitians poured onto the streets of their country last month to cast their votes, demonstrating a desire for a better future. After a contested vote-counting period, the front-runner in the presidential election, Rene Preval, was declared the winner with nearly 52 percent of the official vote, compared to less than 12 percent to his closest contender.

Such a large mandate and a large margin of victory gives Preval a strong mandate and legitimacy to reform and rebuild Haiti's institutions and fractured society. Yet the challenges are vast. The same massive underlying problems still plague Haiti, and a second round of elections looms in the coming weeks.

Now is the time, I very strongly believe, for the United States to tangibly demonstrate that it stands with the Haitian people in their quest for democracy and stability. We have long had a special relationship and a special obligation to the people of Haiti. I believe that there exists a limited window of opportunity to help Haiti, which was opened by the recent successful elections.

We should seize this opportunity by expanding our assistance to Haiti and the Haitian people in the immediate future. My amendment does just that. My amendment provides $50 million in emergency FY 06 supplemental assistance for our impoverished neighbor in the south. Haiti, of course, is the poorest country in the Americas.

Specifically, the amendment increases economic support funds by $40 million, developmental assistance by $5 million and child survival and health by $5 million. This supplemental funding directly addresses the profound social needs in Haiti, while providing support for future elections, reconciliation and efforts to jump-start local economies.

Mr. Chairman, I would like you to know that members of the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, where I am the ranking member, recently wrote a bipartisan letter supporting $50 million of additional assistance for Haiti in this supplemental legislation.

I would like to thank Chairman Barton and the other members of the subcommittee for their support. I will include this letter in the RECORD.

Elections signal the beginning of a transition, not an end. Thus we believe that this additional assistance is the least we can do at this critical time to help Haiti. We obviously have a stake in their democracy-taking route, having Haiti so close to our shores. Of course, there is a large Haitian-American community in this country which has ties to Haiti that further bind our two countries together as well.

Mr. Chairman, as this legislation moves forward, I ask that the House work with the Senate to include emergency aid for Haiti. It is my hope that, in the end, Congress will heed the bipartisan call of the subcommittee and provide important additional aid to Haiti.

As I said, I am going to withdraw my amendment at the end because I believe that this is the best way to move this amendment forward, by working with the Senate, and hopefully we get it there and it comes here. So I urge my colleagues to listen to our pleas.

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