Conyers Reintroduces Haiti Recovery Legislation On The Second Anniversary of Devastating Earthquake

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For Immediate Release
Date:  Thursday, January 12, 2012
Contact: Matthew Morgan – 202-226-5543

Conyers Reintroduces Haiti Recovery Legislation On The Second Anniversary of Devastating Earthquake

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, Representative John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) announced the reintroduction of the “Haiti Empowerment, Assistance and Rebuilding (HEAR) Act of 2012.”  The HEAR Act authorizes up to $2 billion over the next two years to support the sustainable recovery and long- term rebuilding of Haiti.   The bill outlines critical strategic initiatives and mandates to ensure that U.S. assistance efforts comprehensively address the priorities of the people of Haiti. 

“Two years after its devastating earthquake, stability and long-term recovery in Haiti remains elusive,” said Conyers.  “If we are to fulfill the commitments made by the American people in the weeks and months following that terrible tragedy, the United States must establish and commit to a long-term reconstruction assistance plan.  The HEAR Act would allow for the creation and implementation of such a strategy and I call on my colleagues in the House and the Senate to pass it without delay.

“With 70 percent of the population unemployed or underemployed and half a million Haitians still living in camps, there is clearly much more that must be accomplished.  A comprehensive development and recovery strategy will go a long way towards remedying these failings and ultimately creating a country that provides greater economic equality, independence, and democratic accountability for the Haitian people.”

The HEAR Act will improve the United States’ ability to assist with the long-term rebuilding of Haiti by:

·         Authorizing up to $2 billion over the next two years to support Haiti reconstruction and rebuilding in order to demonstrate a long-term commitment to assisting the people of Haiti recover from the devastation of the January 12, 2010 earthquake.

·         Directing the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to prepare and submit a comprehensive rebuilding and development strategy for Haiti, in consultation with the Government of Haiti, civil society organizations, private sector entities, and other implementing partners, and in coordination with the international community.  The strategy should include specific and measurable goals, benchmarks and time frames, an implementation plan to achieve policy objectives, and a detailed monitoring and evaluation plan tied to quantifiable and measurable indicators.

·         Establishing a strategic policy framework to affirm and build a long-term partnership with Haiti and ensure U.S. assistance efforts will comprehensively address critical priorities, in support of the Government of Haiti and the Haitian people, including:

o   Just, democratic, and competent governance, including security sector reform and strengthening;

o   Economic growth and economic sustainability, including investments in infrastructure, improved urban management, and agricultural development;

o   Environmentally sustainable programs that are respectful and restorative of Haiti’s natural resources; and

o   Investments in people, particularly women and children.

·         Ensuring that rebuilding and reconstruction efforts build from existing assessments for Haiti and support the Government of Haiti’s Action Plan for the Reconstruction and National Development of Haiti, other existing development plans for Haiti, including the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper for Haiti, and follow shared principles in the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness and the Accra Agenda for Action.