Washington, DC--Congressman Eliot Engel (D-NY-17) issued the following statement to mark the six-month anniversary of the devastating earthquake which ripped through Haiti and resulted in approximately 250,000 dead, 300,000 injured, and 1.5 million displaced Haitians.  Rep. Engel is the Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee’s Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere.

“Six months have passed and the suffering in Haiti continues.  The Haitian people continue to show incredible resilience to tragedy, as they have been subjected to so much in their history, whether it is a succession of terrible hurricanes, extreme political upheaval or decades of widespread poverty, and now a massive earthquake.  When I visited Haiti in January, I was deeply affected by the destruction and suffering, but equally uplifted by the sheer will to survive. 

“The United States, and many nations across the globe, has pledged billions in aid, but that money is not flowing fast enough.  We must ensure that international assistance is expedited so that the Haitian people can rebuild their lives and their country.  On this six month anniversary of the tragic earthquake, let us recommit ourselves to relief and recovery in Haiti, and to help the hemisphere’s second-oldest nation see a brighter future ahead.”

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