[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1241 Introduced in House (IH)]
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118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. RES. 1241
Calling for the establishment of a comprehensive, long-term development
program to rebuild the Republic of Haiti.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 17, 2024
Ms. Schakowsky (for herself, Mrs. Cherfilus-McCormick, and Ms. Clarke
of New York) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to
the Committee on Foreign Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Calling for the establishment of a comprehensive, long-term development
program to rebuild the Republic of Haiti.
Whereas Haiti's revolution was the first successful slave revolt in the Americas
and led to the establishment of Haiti as the first independent Black
empire under the Emperor Jean-Jacques Dessalines in 1804, then, in 1806,
the first independent Black republic in the Western Hemisphere in 1804;
Whereas, prior to the Haitian Revolution, the United States was Haiti's second-
largest trade partner;
Whereas Haiti has played a pivotal role in African struggles toward freedom in
America, the Caribbean, and African countries;
Whereas Haitian American leaders like W.E.B. Du Bois, cofounder of the National
Association for the Advancement of Colored People, have contributed to
the civil rights movement both in the United States and Africa;
Whereas, in 1825, Haiti was forced to pay a ``ransom'' to France for its
independence, amounting to at least $21,000,000,000 in current value;
Whereas the United States only recognized the newly independent nation of Haiti
until 1862, and then militarily occupied the country from 1915 to 1934;
Whereas Haiti has endured a long and troubled history marred by political
instability, economic underdevelopment, natural disasters, and external
interference;
Whereas, despite this proud heritage, Haiti has struggled to consolidate
democratic governance, with multiple coups, foreign interventions, and
lapses in the rule of law undermining the country's development;
Whereas, in 2010, a devastating earthquake killed hundreds of thousands and
displaced more than a million Haitians, prompting countries from across
the world to pledge more than $10,000,000,000 for relief and
reconstruction efforts;
Whereas the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in July 2021 exacerbated
the ongoing political crisis, leaving the country without an elected
government to date;
Whereas the power vacuum created by the lack of stable, democratic governance
and the absence of a social contract has enabled criminal armed groups
to seize control over large swaths of the capital, Port-au-Prince, and
surrounding areas, perpetrating heinous acts of violence including
kidnappings, murders, rapes, and blocking the delivery of vital
humanitarian aid;
Whereas, according to United Nations estimates, there are approximately 200
active criminal armed groups operating in Haiti, many of whom have
longstanding connections with the political and economic elite;
Whereas this unprecedented violence has displaced over 500,000 civilians,
created a severe humanitarian crisis, and crippled the country's already
fragile economy and public services;
Whereas, according to the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH),
since the beginning of the year, there have been more than 2,500 deaths
and injuries related to gang violence, a 53-percent increase from
October through December 2023;
Whereas a 2023 United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime report found that most
illegal firearms seized in Haiti came from the United States, notably
Florida, Arizona, Georgia, Texas, and California;
Whereas, in 2024 alone, kidnappings have risen to at least 504 victims, 294 of
these being women, 11 girls, and 9 boys, in addition to the 3,000+
persons reportedly kidnapped in 2023;
Whereas the United Nations, and other experts, report that the raping of women
and girls is routine, and these groups of individuals disproportionately
suffer from the crisis in their country, and at least 64 women and girls
suffered from sexual violence;
Whereas gangs are using sexual violence to create fear, obtain money, gain
power, and punish local communities, and this violence includes
trafficking, sexual exploitation, and sexual slavery;
Whereas, according to the United Nations Populations Fund, at least 380,000
people have been internally displaced, including more than 180,000
children who are facing severe malnutrition;
Whereas approximately 5,000,000 Haitians, including 1 out of 2 children, are
facing acute levels of food insecurity;
Whereas, according to the United Nations, 30 to 50 percent of armed groups have
minors in their ranks;
Whereas the complete breakdown of law, order, and functional governance in Port-
au-Prince now poses a direct threat to regional security and stability
in the Caribbean;
Whereas the Haitian people have shown remarkable resilience in the face of these
compounding crises;
Whereas the United States has longstanding historical, economic, and cultural
ties to Haiti, with millions of Americans tracing their heritage to the
country, and has a vested interest in Haiti's stability and development;
Whereas the restoration of democratic governance through free and fair elections
is an essential condition for reestablishing lasting security, economic
development, and the national interests of Haiti and the United States;
Whereas, in April 2024, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), with the backing of
the United States and the international community, supported the
establishment of a Transitional Presidential Council in Haiti with broad
political representation and the objective of restoring security and
holding free and fair elections;
Whereas Haitian Americans have contributed to the cultural diversity of the
United States through their vibrant traditions, music, dance, cuisine,
and literature, and Haitian art, literature, and music have influenced
United States culture, and events such as Haitian Carnival celebrations
have become popular in some United States cities;
Whereas, according to the World Bank, remittances to Haiti totaled over
$3,000,000,000 in 2020, accounting for approximately one-fifth of the
country's gross domestic product, and these remittances play a crucial
role in Haiti's economy, providing a steady source of income for many
families and contributing to poverty reduction and household
consumption; and
Whereas Haitian Americans play a vital role in Haiti's development efforts,
leveraging their resources, expertise, and networks to support
education, technology, sustainable development, resilience, and
prosperity in their homeland: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) marks 220 years of Haitian independence;
(2) recognizes that Haiti has contributed significantly to
the abolition of slavery and the struggle for human rights in
Latin America and in the United States;
(3) recognizes that Haitian culture, religion, art, and
literature contributes significantly to United States cultural
diversity;
(4) recognizes the Haitian diaspora's contribution to the
economy of Haiti and the critical role it plays in the future;
(5) acknowledges that the United States and international
community have played a large role in Haiti's instability;
(6) acknowledges the need to improve United States
financial assistance to Haiti by reforming the foreign aid
system and ensuring foreign assistance is being distributed to
Haitian-led communities;
(7) recognizes the United States and the international
community's moral obligation to support Haiti's struggle for
democracy;
(8) recognizes that Haitian democracy, stability, and
economic prosperity is important to the region and to United
States strategic interest;
(9) recognizes that the restoration of democratic
governance through free and fair elections is an essential
condition for reestablishing lasting security, economic
development, and the national interests of Haiti and the United
States; and
(10) expresses the sense that Congress should establish the
Louverture Investment Plan, a 10-year, $50,000,000,000
development program to rebuild Haiti to stabilize the country,
strengthen democratic and judiciary institutions, invest in
critical infrastructure, spur economic growth, and improve
opportunities for women and youth to secure the welfare of the
Haitian people, which should be designed and implemented in
consultation with all stakeholders including the Haitian
diaspora, and include, but not be limited to, the following
components:
(A) Supporting the restoration of democratic
governance through free and fair elections,
strengthening the rule of law, and building the
capacity of Haiti's security forces including a
disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration program
for youth formerly enrolled into gangs.
(B) Investing in the reconstruction and
modernization of Haiti's physical infrastructure,
including health care, roads, bridges, ports, power
grids, and water and sanitation systems.
(C) Promoting sustainable economic development
through agricultural modernization and food security.
(D) Supporting small businesses and entrepreneurs,
especially small- and medium-sized entrepreneurs,
women, and youth.
(E) Improving access to quality health care,
education, and social services to address Haiti's acute
humanitarian needs.
(F) Enhancing Haiti's resilience to natural
disasters through improved disaster planning,
environmental conservation, and climate change
adaptation measures.
(G) Encouraging regional integration and greater
economic cooperation between Haiti, the United States,
and other Caribbean countries.
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