Norton Trip to Haiti on Monday Continues Her Focus on that Country (4/2/2010)

Norton Trip to Haiti on Monday Continues Her Focus on that Country

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), on Monday, April 5, will visit earthquake-ravaged Haiti with a congressional delegation that will include Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) and Sen. Kirsten E. Gillibrand (D-NY), following a pledge this week from U.S. officials to contribute $1.15 billion over two years to help in rebuilding. The trip will include a visit of orphanages, where hundreds of children have been living since the Jan. 12 earthquake that killed more than 217,000 and left more than a million people homeless, as well as a meeting with President Rene Preval to understand the role of officials In rebuilding their own country, and accounting for funds as the U.S. seeks to lead global fundraising efforts to help rebuild the country.

The Congresswoman visited Haiti with a Congressional Black Caucus delegation in 2008, and was encouraged by the small business start-ups in operation, some of which continue even after the earthquake. After the earthquake this year, Norton joined a Congressional Black Caucus delegation for a meeting with the Haiti Ambassador to discuss reconstruction efforts.

Norton, who chairs the subcommittee with jurisdiction over national emergencies in the U.S., held a congressional hearing to learn best-practices from U.S. emergency officials and workers who assisted in the Haiti earthquake rescue efforts.