IV 

111TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 1332 

Encouraging the continuation and further expansion of sister-city relationships 

between United States and Haitian municipalities as an essential instrument in the ongoing efforts to rebuild Haiti and restore hope and 

prosperity to its people. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 5, 2010 

Mr. HIMES submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Encouraging the continuation and further expansion of sister-city relationships between United States and Haitian 

municipalities as an essential instrument in the ongoing 

efforts to rebuild Haiti and restore hope and prosperity 

to its people. 

Whereas, on January 12, 2010, a 7.0 magnitude earthquake 

struck the country of Haiti; 

Whereas casualty estimates, still being compiled, as well as 

infrastructure damage, including to roads, ports, hospitals, and residential dwellings, place this earthquake as 

the worst cataclysm to hit Haiti in over two centuries; 

Whereas an estimated 3,000,000 people, nearly one-third of 

the country’s population, have been directly affected by 


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•HRES 1332 IH 

the disaster in Haiti and are currently at risk of longterm displacement and vulnerability; 

Whereas Haiti is the poorest, least developed country in the 

Western Hemisphere, and prior to the earthquake was 

ranked 149 out of 182 countries on the United Nations 

Human Development Index; 

Whereas President Obama vowed the ‘‘unwavering support’’ 

of the United States and pledged a ‘‘swift, coordinated 

and aggressive effort to save lives and support the recovery in Haiti’’; 

Whereas the United States Department of Homeland Security has temporarily halted the deportation of Haitian nationals to Haiti in response to the devastation caused by 

the earthquake; 

Whereas the United States Department of Homeland Security granted the designation of Temporary Protected Status for Haitian nationals who are in the United States 

and unable to return to their country due to the destruction and humanitarian crisis in Haiti; 

Whereas individuals, businesses, and philanthropic organizations across the United States and throughout the international community have responded in support of Haiti 

and its populace during this time of crisis, sometimes in 

innovative ways such as fundraising through text messaging; 

Whereas the House of Representatives, in H. Res. 1021, 

passed on January 21, 2010, ‘‘commend[ed] the efforts 

of the American people, including the Haitian-American 

community, to provide relief to families, friends, and unknown peoples suffering in the country’’, and 

‘‘recognize[d] that the recovery and long-term needs of 


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•HRES 1332 IH 

Haiti will require a sustained commitment by the United 

States and international community based on comprehensive assessments of the development needs for Haiti’’; 

Whereas the House of Representatives in H. Res. 1021 urged 

the President to ‘‘utilize new and innovative thinking in 

providing long-term assistance to Haiti, including tapping 

into the insight and immense potential of the Haitian Diaspora, to help Haitians rebuild upon the strongest possible foundation, in order to promote a stable and sustainable future for Haiti.’’; 

Whereas the City of Bridgeport, Connecticut, through its City 

Council, has demonstrated extraordinary leadership in its 

assistance to the Haitian people, through its ongoing sister-city relations with the City of Petion-Ville, Haiti; 

Whereas in the weeks following the earthquake, the Bridgeport City Council enacted a resolution reaffirming its 

commitment to the people of Petion-Ville, and has continued to expand its humanitarian outreach to the people of 

Petion-Ville; 

Whereas a large number of towns and cities in Connecticut 

are actively engaged in sister-city relationships in the developing and developed world, relationships which not 

only provide direct help those sister cities need to meet 

the humanitarian needs of their people, but also further 

the United States interest in strengthening its cultural 

and economic ties in all corners of the globe; and 

Whereas Sister City International, a nonprofit organization 

with roots in President Eisenhower’s historic September 

1956 White House conference on citizen diplomacy, has 

helped establish 1,992 sister-city partnerships involving 

694 United States municipalities: Now, therefore, be it 


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•HRES 1332 IH 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives encour2 ages the continuation and further expansion of sister-city 

3 relationships between United States and Haitian munici4 palities as an essential instrument in the ongoing efforts 

5 to rebuild Haiti and restore hope and prosperity to its peo6 ple. 

Æ 


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