Congressman Sestak Votes for Legislation Honoring the Relief Efforts of Our Armed Forces in Haiti PDF Print E-mail
House passes resolution honoring their deployment in response to January earthquake

February 23, 2010


WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Congressman Joe Sestak (PA-07) voted for, and the House passed unanimously, House Resolution 1066: Recognizing the Bravery of Armed Forces in Haiti Response. Following the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12, the Coast Guard raced to the scene, and within the first 10 days, 24 U.S. Navy and Coast Guard ships, thousands of Army Reserve rescue workers, more than 14,000 members of the armed forces, 71 helicopters, and 26 Health and Human Services Department personnel arrived or were en route to Haiti.

“Our military has once again demonstrated its extraordinary capabilities in the face of a terrible tragedy,” said the Congressman. “I commend Joint Task Force Haiti, the Coast Guard, and the Southern Command for their heroic response to this misfortune, which has claimed tens of thousands of lives.”

This resolution recognizes the efforts of the U.S. armed forces, local first responders, and other members of Operation Unified Response for their heroic service following the January 12, 2010 earthquake. It acknowledges the ability of the armed forces to deploy such a sizable force in a short amount of time while also engaged in two wars, and recognizes the dedication of U.S. public servants to provide food, water, and medical supplies and to repair critical infrastructure in Haiti.


Born and raised in Delaware County, former 3-star Admiral Joe Sestak served in the Navy for 31 years and now serves as the Representative from the 7th District of Pennsylvania. He led a series of operational commands at sea, including Commander of an aircraft carrier battle group of 30 U.S. and allied ships with over 15,000 sailors and 100 aircraft that conducted operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. After 9/11, Joe was the first Director of “Deep Blue,” the Navy’s anti-terrorism unit that established strategic and operations policies for the “Global War on Terrorism.” He served as President Clinton’s Director for Defense Policy at the National Security Council in the White House, and holds a Ph.D. in Political Economy and Government from Harvard University.  According to the office of the House Historian, Joe is the highest-ranking former military officer ever elected to the U.S. Congress.
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