Last week, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed Senate Resolution 12, which recognizes the third anniversary of the earthquake in Haiti and expresses continued solidarity between the United States and the Haitian people.

The Resolution, introduced by Senator Bill Nelson of Florida and co-sponsored by Senators Gillibrand (NY), Lautenberg (NJ), Cardin (MD), Durbin (IL), Warren (MA), Landrieu (LA), Harkin (IA), Mikulski (MD), Leahy (VT), Hirono (HI), Boxer (CA) and Udall (NM), pledges continued U.S. support "to improve housing, energy, job creation, food security, healthcare, education, governance, and rule of law in Haiti in full cooperation with the Government of Haiti."

Many of the Senators sponsoring the Resolution represent States with significant numbers of Haitian constituents. According to an October 2010 report from the U.S. Census Bureau, approximately 376,000 Haitians reside in Senator Nelson’s home state of Florida. New York is home to the second largest Haitian population with approximately 191,000, while two other states, New Jersey and Massachusetts, report more than 50,000 residents with Haitian ancestry.

Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa, who co-authored the Americans with Disabilities Act and has championed disability rights during his 40 years in the U.S. Senate, supported language in the Resolution acknowledging Haiti’s substantial disabled population, which increased significantly after the January 2010 earthquake.

Senate Resolution 12 specifically cites the Office of the Secretary of State for the Integration of Persons with Disabilities, headed by Gerald Oriol, Jr., as a key partner in the reconstruction effort. According to Secretary Oriol, "Disability inclusion in Haiti is not just a human rights issue and a civil rights issue:  it is an economic imperative.  By employing disabled persons, we can lower the number of citizens living in extreme poverty and reduce the need for NGO support in the country."

The Resolution also acknowledges the recent cholera outbreak and the approximately 360,000 persons still living in IDP camps, more than three years after the quake.

HL/ HaitiLibre