Statement of Congressman Meeks at Hearing on Crisis in Haiti

(WASHINGTON, DC)–"If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich." -President John F. Kennedy

While President Kennedy’s words were in reference to U.S. treatment of its own citizens, I believe the same is true for U.S. treatment of its poorest neighbors. If we allow disaster and chaos to prevail in our own backyard, we are simply waiting for it to fester until it reaches our front door.

Haiti is in crisis right now after the effects of recent hurricanes. More than ever it needs U.S. resources. According to the Haitian government at least $400 million in funds are needed to help Haiti recover from the devastation caused by Hurricane Gustav and further complicated by flooding from Hurricane Ike. The U.S. pledge of approximately $30 million is simply inadequate.

Last week this committee passed a bill to provide a billion dollars of assistance to Georgia in its time of need. The nearly five million people of Georgia, a U.S. ally, deserve help, but the approximately nine million citizens of Haiti deserve parity in our assistance. With every day that we wait we risk more lives. Hundreds have already perished in subhuman conditions. The international community is watching; we must act.