Representative Christopher Miller, Texas (R-L) wrote:Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to quickly remind you of some events from the past year.
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[Pre game]
*The aftermath of Hurricane Allen continues to cause chaos in Haiti. High winds and flash flooding have left more than $400 million in damages, with 60% of the coffee crop destroyed, 220 people killed, and 835,000 left homeless. Compounding the situation, the Tonton Macoutes, a right-wing, Duvalierist militia, wreaking havoc in the countryside. Their reign of terror in rural areas outside of government control grows ever worse. Cuban aid is sent to assist with rebuilding in the aftermath of the storm.
[Turn 1]
*With Congressional efforts to sent help to Haiti stalling [...]
*Mountain States Coast Guard cutters report that they are intercepting thousands of Haitian refugees on makeshift rafts, fleeing the violence and disaster-stricken areas. [...]
*With no end to the chaos in sight, despite aid being sent from Cuba, Haiti falls deeper into crisis. With the government unable to provide any form of actual governance outside urban areas, where it nevertheless is still struggling with a humungous homelessness crisis, rural areas continue their descent into chaos. In many areas the Tonton Macoutes have taken advantage of the aimlessness and lack of security to begin drawing additional recruits, even from children and teenagers whose parents have died or they have been separated from. With these bolstered forces, numerous areas of warlordic control spring up in rural areas, with little sign of stopping.
[Turn 2]
*The media focuses heavily on the atrocities in Haiti [...]
*The President also signs an Executive Order, sending 1 credits worth of aid to Haiti, including humanitarian aid and nonlethal military equipment for their armed forces. The Haitians are grateful, but request more aid urgently.
*Fighting continues to rage in Haiti, with the Tonton Macoutes launching an abortive attack on Cap-Haitien, the second largest city. After meeting stiff resistance, they withdraw, but note well the anti-establishment violence roused inside the city at their attack.
[Turn 3]
*After meeting with refugee leaders and exiles from the 1960s amongst the Haitian community in Louisiana, Congressman Christopher Miller (R-TX) joins a bipartisan fact-finding mission to Port au Prince itself, alongside Senator Nathan Hanlon (P-TX). At a joint press conference, Senator Hanlon said: “No matter what conflict or controversy might be troubling our relationship, the Haitian people are friends of the MSA. It is only right to act as such, and so we have sought to make ourselves as informed as possible of the present situation and hear from the leaders and people of Haiti what we can do to help as friends and allies.”
*An destroyer belonging to the US Navy anchors off the coast of Haiti, but within international waters. This does little to calm the Haitian government, who promptly descend into an outright panic, calling for aid and help from various allies. Cuba in particular obliges, though the fighting in Haiti goes none the better for it - with Tonton Macoutes growing in boldness, and launching another major assault against Cap-Haitien. Fighting now rages on the streets of the city, with the government forces back-pedalling to preserve their fighting capability.
As you know, I - together with Senator Hanlon - visited Port-au-Prince a short time ago, to survey the situation. And let me tell you, it truly is desperate. Starving war orphans on the streets, begging for food. Wounded civilians dying in their beds, as there is no doctors to attend them. Rowing gangs of Fascist militiamen, burning all they come across. Together with many others here in Congress, I have deep concerns with the current revolutionary government of Haiti, which grows more heavy-handed every day. I would not normally under any circumstances condone aid to them, not without the liberation of political prisoners and steps taken towards democratic reform. The situation is too dire for that, I'm afraid. Allow me to present the results of our joint fact-finding mission.
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The fact finding mission to Port-au-Prince yielded important information - the Haitians are in dire need of help. The US, possibly the Germans, it doesn’t matter - someone is clearly behind what’s going on in the country, and without American help the government will surely fall.
The now former Socialist Party-led administration recently sent a small bit of aid to aid the poor people of Haiti. If is not enough. And while I am sure that the new Madam President will likewise order continued aid, I will try to do my best here in Congress to push for more. Not only would a Fascist rule in Haiti mean the deaths of many and suffering of more, as well as thousands more refugees, it would also mean that forces that are opposed to us gain a significant stronghold in the northern Caribbean.
That's why I'm presenting the following bill, proposing the following:
Recognizing the depth of the Haitian crisis, and the threat that looms over the country.
Deploying three credits worth of non-lethal military equipment, including among other things night-vision goggles, body armor, communications equipment, medical supplies, etc. to be moved into the country through the Dominican Workers' Republic or Cuba depending on the situation.
Sending civilian humanitarian aid, to the cost of three credits, to be distributed to the Haitian populace, such as food aid, medical supplies, etc., likewise to be moved into the country through the Dominican Workers' Republic or Cuba depending on the situation.
Representative Christopher Miller, Texas (R-L) wrote:
*The fighting in Haiti continues to worsen, as Tonton Macoutes forces launch another assault on the second city of Haiti, Cap-Haitien. The resolve of government forces, considerably shaken after the first attack, now fails entirely, and they withdraw in panicked disarray from the city. Unwilling to sit by any longer (and possibly due to outside pressure), 200 Cuban instructors/advisors arrive in Port-au-Prince to help stiffen government resolve and prepare their forces to strike back against the Duvalierist militia.
Representative Marvin Grant, R-IA wrote:I quite agree with my Texan colleague. The sooner the Speaker moves this to a vote the better. However while we have the opportunity to do so, might I inquire as to Representative Miller's thoughts on how this might work to support, rather than supersede, the executive branch's role? Equally, would he agree with my judgement that working with our allies in the region, rather than messy interventionism as floated in the past, is the way forward to resolve the crisis?
Representative Christopher Miller, Texas (R-L) wrote:If the executive chose to implement this very course of action itself, or something even more radical, I would support that.
At this point, any form of deployment by Mountaineer forces - be they military or humanitarian - is simply an impossibility, given the damning evidence of invasion plans previously leaked. Maybe in the future, if the situation in Haiti stabilizes, we will be able to send people to help rebuild the nation, but as of this moment we will have to keep our assistance material, and rely on the Haitians themselves and their regional allies.
Representative Thomas Higgins, KS wrote:While I worry that the amount of aid being earmarked by this bill may be a tad excessive, considering the severity of the situation, it will be well needed. If I may ask though, who would be handling the distribution of humanitarian aid to the Haitian populace.
I also wonder whether it is necessary to explicitly state how the supplies will be moving to Haiti, but it is not a major concern of mine at this point. I look forward to hearing a response from Representative Miller
Representative Christopher Miller, Texas (R-L) wrote:At this point, we will have to depend primarily on others to distribute the aid. The combination of the vast danger of putting our people on the ground, and the fact that any such action may be seen as baby-steps to the outright hostile invasion planed by recently resigned President... well. We must trust in the local governments to distribute it, in addition to private MSA charities currently active in the region.
In regards to the transportation, I felt that any form of aid moved directly into Haiti would be ill-fated. Cargo carried by sea may be attacked by US naval forces, and there are likewise risks involved with flying Mountaineer aircraft over an active combat zone.
Representative Thomas Higgins, KS wrote:This is true enough, and I see what you are trying to say. Certainly the danger to our people would be great if we were to go in ourselves, and the trust to do so is not there with the crisis in foreign affairs that has recently arisen. As such, I will concede the argument in terms of transportation arrangements.
I would wonder if it would be best to give the House Committee on Foreign Affairs some oversight with regards to distribution in this aid, at least in terms of coordination with the Haitian government, and the ability to cut off aid if it is being misapplied and not delivered to those who need it. I have faith that the Haitian government would not do that, but it seems to me that it would be better to account for that possibility than not. Otherwise, I have no problem with this bill as it stands.
Representative Christopher Miller, Texas (R-L) wrote:A fair concern, Congressman. I'll present an amendment, to acknowledge it.
Amendment to the Haitian Aid Bill
Recognizing the depth of the Haitian crisis, and the threat that looms over the country.
Deploying three credits worth of non-lethal military equipment, including among other things night-vision goggles, body armor, communications equipment, medical supplies, etc. to be moved into the country through the Dominican Workers' Republic or Cuba depending on the situation.
Sending civilian humanitarian aid, to the cost of three credits, to be distributed to the Haitian populace, such as food aid, medical supplies, etc., likewise to be moved into the country through the Dominican Workers' Republic or Cuba depending on the situation.
Ensuring full oversight in the enactment of the bill, granting the House Committee on Foreign Affairs authority to coordinate the delivery of the earmarked aid, and to - if deemed necessary - cut the aid until a time when its distribution is again deemed feasible.
Representative Thomas Higgins, KS wrote:Thank you Representative Miller. With this in mind, I find myself with no further objections, and in favor of the proposed bill
10 Progressive Moderate votes IN FAVOR of the amended bill
