Senators request additional spending measures for Haitian earthquake relief

A group of 14 senators wrote Senate leaders on Wednesday requesting that they add to the next  Senate bill additional spending measures for Haitian earthquake relief efforts.

The senators, 13 of which are Democrats, say that "immediate" authorization of new funding is crucial to the U.S.-backed relief effort announced by President Barack Obama Wednesday morning.

"We are writing to request that you include robust emergency funds to assist Haiti in the next legislative vehicle before the Senate," they wrote. "Robust and immediate U.S. assistance to Haiti in the wake of this catastrophe is vital to support stability in that fragile country, and is in our own national security interest."

The senators wrote to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) and ranking member Thad Cochran (R-Miss.)

The president earlier on Wednesday offered the "full support" of the U.S. in sending civilian rescue teams as well as relief supplies to the impoverished nation that was hit by a powerful magnitude 7.0 earthquake.

The earliest the Senate could take up such a measure is next week. Senators return from recess a pro forma session Tuesday and will hold a full session Wednesday.

Reports of destroyed property and widespread loss of life have slowly trickled in since Tuesday when the quake hit. Recovery efforts have been slowed by poor infrastructure and the collapse of a U.N. aid outpost that left its chief officer dead and 100 staff missing.

But the additional spending request might bristle some Republicans who had hoped that Congress and the president would work on trimming the budget in light of the $1.4 trillion federal deficit.

The only Republican to sign the letter, Sen. George LeMieux (Fla.), represents a state with one of the highest Haitian immigrant populations in the U.S.

Full letter after the jump

January 13, 2010

The Honorable Harry Reid                             The Honorable Mitch McConnell
Majority Leader                                              Minority Leader
522 Hart Senate Office Building                    361-A Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510                                  Washington, DC 20510

 The Honorable Daniel K. Inouye                    The Honorable Thad Cochran
Chairman                                                         Ranking Member
Senate Committee on Appropriations             Senate Committee on Appropriations
The Capitol, S-128                                          The Capitol, S-128    
Washington, DC 20510                                  Washington, DC 20510

 Dear Majority Leader Reid, Minority Leader McConnell, Chairman Inouye, and Ranking Member Cochran:

 In the aftermath of yesterday’s devastating earthquake, we are writing to request that you include robust emergency funds to assist Haiti in the next legislative vehicle before the Senate.

 The magnitude 7.0 earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12 was centered just ten miles from the capital of Port-au-Prince, leaving thousands of Haitians dead and millions in dire need of basic food, shelter, and medical attention.  As communication and infrastructure networks have been severely disrupted, we may not know the full extent of the damage for several weeks.  It is already clear, however, that the relief and reconstruction needs of the Haitian people will be substantial and long-term.

The United States and the international community must act quickly to address the immediate needs of the Haitian people and to support the Government of Haiti.  Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere and lacks the capacity to respond to and recover from a disaster of such scale and scope.

Robust and immediate U.S. assistance to Haiti in the wake of this catastrophe is vital to support stability in that fragile country, and is in our own national security interest.  Thank you for your consideration of this request.

Sincerely,

 
_______________________________                      _______________________________

Bill Nelson                                                                  Tom Harkin

          

 

_______________________________                      _______________________________

Robert Menendez                                                       John F. Kerry

 

 

_______________________________                      _______________________________

Roland W. Burris                                                        Ron Wyden

 

 

_______________________________                      _______________________________

Michael F. Bennet                                                       Charles E. Schumer

 

 

_______________________________                      _______________________________

Frank R. Lautenberg                                                   Al Franken

 

 

_______________________________                      _______________________________

Sherrod Brown                                                           Kirsten E. Gillibrand

 

 

_______________________________                      _______________________________

Jeff Merkley                                                                George LeMieux

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