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“HAITI” mentioning the U.S. Dept of State was published in the Senate section on pages S4989 on July 13, 2015.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
HAITI
Mr. DURBIN. Madam President, over the Fourth of July recess, I joined with Senator Bill Nelson and we went to Haiti. It is not a popular spot for Members of Congress to go on a weekend, but we made a point of going. It was a return trip for both of us.
Our visit the first time was 5 years ago, after the devastating earthquake that left the capital city of Port au Prince in ruins, claimed more than 200,000 lives, and more than 1 million people were displaced from their homes. I recall visiting the island that many years ago, 2 years after the earthquake, and witnessing the ongoing devastation--people still living in tents. So it was with some satisfaction to see that Haiti has come a long way. Buildings are being rebuilt, the overwhelming majority of those displaced have found housing, and the economy is starting to recover.
The United States has been a major contributor to Haiti's recovery, and I want to praise the dedicated American Government officials who work in a challenging environment--notably under the incredible and tireless and amazing leadership of our U.S. Ambassador in Haiti, Pam White, a career employee of USAID and now our Nation's Ambassador to Haiti.
I noted that the Senate recently confirmed a couple of President Obama's nominees to become Ambassadors. There are now dozens still waiting. Can you imagine the United States of America in our Embassies overseas with no Ambassador month after month after month, when worthy people have been nominated and the U.S. Senate refuses to even consider an Obama nomination for Ambassador? Many of these are not political. They are career. They spent their career working in the State Department. Now, at the end of their career, they are named Ambassador, and the Foreign Relations Committee in the Senate, under Republican leadership, refuses to call President Obama's nominees for these ambassadorial posts.
In many countries, the foreign minister in those countries counts the days and weeks that the United States has not had an ambassador. It is an embarrassment. I hope the majority party now will at least give the President and our Nation the opportunity to put good representatives of our countries overseas.
Madam President, I wish to say a few words about the current President of Haiti, whose term ends this year. His name is Michel Joseph Martelly. He is known as Sweet Micky, which used to be his stage name when he was a rock and roll singer. He has now been the President 4\1/2\ years and has done some very good things. He wisely guided his nation through the post-earthquake process and a lot of political change.
The end of his term marks an important moment for Haiti and its future. Given that the Haitian Parliament dissolved in January, the success and timeliness of these elections cannot be overstated. I urge the political parties and candidates to renounce the use of electoral violence and to participate constructively in the upcoming election. And I hope that the neighboring country, the Dominican Republic, will join with Haiti in resolving some very vexing immigration problems between these two countries. These are problems which involve some of the poorest people on that island of Hispaniola. We need to find a way to treat them in a decent and humane fashion so they can ultimately be located in a place where they can maintain their dignity and their work.
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