Expressing support for temporary protected status for Haitian nationals currently residing in the United States, and for other purposes.

Expressing support for temporary protected status for Haitian nationals currently residing in the United States, and for other purposes. (Introduced in House)

HCON 165 IH

111th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. CON. RES. 165

Expressing support for temporary protected status for Haitian nationals currently residing in the United States, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

July 17, 2009

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida (for himself, Mr. MEEK of Florida, Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN, Ms. LEE of California, Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida, Ms. CLARKE, Mr. MEEKS of New York, Mr. PAYNE, Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland, Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ, Mr. NADLER of New York, Mr. JACKSON of Illinois, Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. MCGOVERN, Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas, Mr. WEXLER, Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida, Mr. CROWLEY, and Ms. NORTON) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Expressing support for temporary protected status for Haitian nationals currently residing in the United States, and for other purposes.

Whereas in August and September 2008, two tropical storms and two hurricanes devastated Haiti and affected nearly 1,000,000 people, killing 800 people, internally displacing over 150,000 people, and damaging over 100,000 homes;

Whereas the World Bank assessed the storm damage at nearly $1,000,000,000, or about 15 percent of the gross domestic product of Haiti;

Whereas this has been the worst disaster in Haiti in 100 years;

Whereas the Government of Haiti, lead by President Rene Preval, faces immense political and institutional challenges, including a sharp increase in crime, especially kidnapping, and the rebuilding of the police and judicial institutions to address political and criminal violence in Haiti;

Whereas the Department of State warns United States citizens that current conditions make it unsafe to travel to Haiti;

Whereas these conditions make it dangerous and inappropriate to forcibly repatriate Haitians at this time;

Whereas the Secretary of Homeland Security may grant temporary protective status (TPS) in accordance with section 244 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1254a) to nationals of a country in which environmental or political events have occurred that make it temporarily unsafe to deport them;

Whereas the Secretary of Homeland Security has granted TPS to nationals of other countries under similar conditions, including Nicaragua and Honduras in 1999 following Hurricane Mitch, and El Salvador in 2001 following severe earthquakes;

Whereas granting Haitian nationals TPS would preserve the $1,000,000,000 in remittances sent each year to Haiti from Haitians in the United States, which currently outweigh the amount of foreign assistance given by the United States to Haiti and are crucial to the recovery of Haiti;

Whereas, on October 3, 2008, Haitian President Rene Preval renewed his request for TPS for Haitian nationals in the United States; and

Whereas the recent political turmoil, civil crises, and environmental disasters easily qualify Haiti for the TPS designation: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That the Congress--

(1) supports the granting of temporary protected status to Haitian nationals currently residing in the United States;

(2) supports the Haitian people and the Government of Haiti as they work to rebuild from years of natural disasters, economic hardship, and political turmoil; and

(3) acknowledges that it is in the best economic and security interests of the United States for Haiti to be a safe, stable, and productive country.