I 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1749 

To measure the progress of recovery and development efforts in Haiti 

following the earthquake of January 12, 2010, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 25, 2013 

Ms. LEE of California (for herself, Ms. BROWN of Florida, Mr. CAPUANO, 

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN, Ms. CLARKE, Mr. CLAY, Mr. CONYERS, Mr. AL

GREEN of Texas, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. HASTINGS of Florida, Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. MEEKS, Ms. MOORE, Ms. NORTON, 

Mr. RANGEL, Mr. RUSH, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ, 

Ms. WILSON of Florida, Ms. WATERS, Mrs. BEATTY, Ms. ROYBALALLARD, Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi, and Mr. RICHMOND) introduced 

the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

A BILL 

To measure the progress of recovery and development efforts 

in Haiti following the earthquake of January 12, 2010, 

and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Assessing Progress in 

5 Haiti Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

2 Congress finds the following: 

3 (1) According to the Government of Haiti, more 

4 than 316,000 people died as a result of the earth5 quake that struck 15 miles southwest of Port-au6 Prince on January 12, 2010, including 103 United 

7 States citizens and more than 100 United Nations 

8 personnel. 

9 (2) According to the United Nations and the 

10 International Organization for Migration, an esti11 mated 3,000,000 people were directly affected by the 

12 disaster, and more than 2,100,000 people were dis13 placed from their homes. 

14 (3) The Post Disaster Needs Assessment con15 ducted by the Government of Haiti, the United Na16 tions, the World Bank, the Inter-American Develop17 ment Bank, and others estimated that damage and 

18 economic losses totaled $7,804,000,000, approxi19 mately 120 percent of Haiti’s gross domestic prod20 uct in 2009. 

21 (4) The initial emergency response of the men 

22 and women of the United States Government, led by 

23 the United States Agency for International Develop24 ment (USAID) and the United States Southern 

25 Command, as well as of cities, towns, individuals, 


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1 businesses, and philanthropic organizations across 

2 the United States, was swift and resolute. 

3 (5) According to the Government of Haiti, nu4 merous multilateral agencies such as the United Na5 tions, and international NGOs, Haiti faces an ongo6 ing food crisis as a result of the earthquake and sub7 sequent damage caused by tropical storms and hur8 ricanes, as well as long term neglect of the agri9 culture sector. 

10 (6) According to the International Organization 

11 for Migration, approximately 350,000 people remain 

12 in spontaneous and organized camps in Haiti, and 

13 reports by the General Accountability Office, USAID 

14 Inspector General, and civil society organizations in15 dicate that the pace of recovery and development has 

16 lagged significantly behind the emergency relief 

17 phase. 

18 (7) Haitian civil society organizations have 

19 noted a lack of systematic and widespread consulta20 tions with Haitian communities for their input in 

21 the recovery and development process. 

22 (8) On October 21, 2010, an outbreak of chol23 era was detected and according to the Haitian Min24 istry of Public Health and Population, as of Feb25 ruary 17, 2013, more than 8,000 people had died 


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1 from cholera and more than 647,500 had been in2 fected with the disease. 

3 (9) The United States has provided more than 

4 $95,000,000 in aid to combat the cholera epidemic 

5 and care for the victims. 

6 (10) The United Nations Office of the Special 

7 Envoy for Haiti estimates that, including donor 

8 pledges and other support, approximately 

9 $6,400,000,000 has been disbursed, with an addi10 tional amount of $3,800,000,000 committed, to as11 sist in Haiti’s recovery and development. 

12 (11) The United States Government has obli13 gated approximately $3,600,000,000 for relief, re14 covery and development in Haiti since the earth15 quake, of which $1,300,000,000 had been disbursed 

16 as of April 2013. 

17 (12) Significant challenges remain in Haiti 

18 which will require continued recovery and develop19 ment aid from the international community for the 

20 foreseeable future. 

21 (13) The Haitian Diaspora has also played an 

22 essential role in Haiti’s reconstruction and the 

23 United States Government should take steps to in24 crease outreach and encourage participation by HaiVerDate Mar 15 2010 02:05 May 01, 2013 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1749.IH H1749

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1 tian Americans in recovery and development activi2 ties in Haiti. 

3 SEC. 3. REPORT. 

4 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than six months after 

5 the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller 

6 General of the United States shall submit to Congress a 

7 report on the status of post-earthquake recovery and de8 velopment efforts in Haiti, including efforts to prevent the 

9 spread of cholera and treat persons infected with the dis10 ease. 

11 (b) CONTENTS.—The report required by subsection 

12 (a) shall include— 

13 (1) an assessment of the progress of recovery 

14 and development efforts, as embodied in the Post15 Earthquake USG Haiti Strategy: Toward Renewal 

16 and Economic Opportunity produced by the Depart17 ment of State, compared to what remains to be 

18 achieved to meet specific goals, including— 

19 (A) the amount of funds disbursed through 

20 country systems and any significant changes to 

21 the Strategy since January 2010, with an ex22 planation of such changes; 

23 (B) the amounts obligated and expended 

24 on United States Government programs and ac25 tivities since January 2010 to implement the 


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1 Strategy, including award data on the use of 

2 implementing partners at both prime and 

3 subprime levels, and disbursement data from 

4 prime and subprime implementing partners; 

5 and 

6 (C) a description of goals and quantitative 

7 and qualitative indicators to evaluate the 

8 progress, achievement, or lack of achievement 

9 of such goals, within specific timeframes, that 

10 comprise the Strategy at the program level; 

11 (2) an assessment of the manner in which the 

12 Department of State and USAID are working with 

13 Haitian ministries and local authorities, including 

14 the extent to which the Government of Haiti has 

15 been consulted on the establishment of goals and 

16 timeframes and on the design and implementation of 

17 new programs under the Strategy; 

18 (3) an assessment of the extent to which Hai19 tian civil society and grassroots organizations have 

20 been consulted on the establishment of goals and 

21 timeframes and on the design and implementation of 

22 new programs under the Strategy; 

23 (4) an assessment of efforts to increase the in24 volvement of the Haitian private sector in recovery 

25 and development activities; 


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1 (5) an assessment of how consideration for vul2 nerable populations, including IDPs, women, chil3 dren, orphans, and persons with disabilities, have 

4 been incorporated in the design and implementation 

5 of new programs and infrastructure; 

6 (6) an assessment of how agriculture and infra7 structure programs are impacting food security and 

8 the livelihoods of smallholder farmers in Haiti; 

9 (7) an assessment of recovery and development 

10 coordination among United States Government 

11 agencies and between the United States Government 

12 and other donors; 

13 (8) a description of the United States Govern14 ment’s efforts, including diplomatic efforts, to help 

15 abate the cholera epidemic in Haiti, in coordination 

16 with the Government of Haiti, the United Nations, 

17 and other relevant entities; 

18 (9) a description of mechanisms for commu19 nicating the progress of recovery and development 

20 efforts to Haitian citizens; and 

21 (10) an assessment of the steps Haiti is taking 

22 to strengthen its capacity to receive individuals who 

23 are removed, excluded, or deported from the United 

24 States. 


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1 (c) USE OF PREVIOUSLY APPROPRIATED FUNDS.— 

2 Notwithstanding any other provision of law, to carry out 

3 this section, the Comptroller General of the United States 

4 is authorized to use unobligated amounts made available 

5 to the Government Accountability Office in an amount not 

6 to exceed $100,000. 

Æ 


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