[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 700 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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118th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. RES. 700
Supporting the efforts of the United States and international partners
to facilitate a security environment that is conducive to holding free
and fair elections in Haiti and promoting a durable return to
democratic governance.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
May 21, 2024
Mr. Murphy (for himself, Mr. Cassidy, and Mr. Kaine) submitted the
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign
Relations
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Supporting the efforts of the United States and international partners
to facilitate a security environment that is conducive to holding free
and fair elections in Haiti and promoting a durable return to
democratic governance.
Whereas, on July 7, 2021, Jovenel Moise, the former President of Haiti, was
assassinated in his home, aggravating a complex and dynamic political
crisis which has debilitated the capacity of the country;
Whereas, in the absence of a functioning and democratically elected central
government in Haiti, criminal gangs have flourished, often with the
backing of the country's political and economic elites, creating a
security vacuum and humanitarian crisis that has exposed Haitians to the
overwhelming threat of indiscriminate violence, including rampant
gender-based violence;
Whereas widespread gang violence in Haiti has culminated in killings and
kidnappings of civilians, including at least 1 United States citizen;
Whereas criminal gangs have seized control of up to 80 percent of Port-au-Prince
and critical infrastructure, including health care providers, schools,
and transit facilities;
Whereas, according to the International Organization for Migration, more than
350,000 Haitians are internally displaced, with gang violence accounting
for 93 percent of such displacement;
Whereas, according to the United Nations, 3,334 Haitians were victims of
intentional homicide between January 1 and September 30, 2023, while the
projected homicide rate per 100,000 people doubled compared to the 2022
homicide rate;
Whereas gangs in Haiti have routinely engaged in kidnaping for ransom, abducting
1,787 people between January 1 and September 30, 2023;
Whereas, as of March 2024, there were 79,411 suspected cases of cholera in Haiti
and the risk of a cholera outbreak has been exacerbated by the gangs'
control of critical infrastructure, including hospitals and health
clinics;
Whereas endemic corruption in Haiti, which ranked 171 out of 180 countries in
Transparency International's 2022 Corruption Perceptions Index, which is
worse than the 2017 ranking of 157 out of 180, has entrenched criminal
gangs, deprived Haitians of economic prosperity, and presents
significant obstacles to lasting government reform;
Whereas the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
issued an appeal for $674,000,000 in February 2024 to meet the needs of
an estimated 3,600,000 Haitians who require humanitarian assistance (12
percent more Haitians than were supported in 2023) and are highly
vulnerable as a result of the worsening security situation and near-
collapse of basic services in Haiti;
Whereas, according to the World Food Programme, 4,950,000 Haitians were food
insecure as of September 2023, and 68 percent of the country's
population had insufficient food consumption as of March 2024;
Whereas the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has documented that illicit
firearms and drug trafficking from the United States to Haiti have, in
part, fueled the cycle of violence across Haiti;
Whereas, on June 25, 2022, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (Public Law 117-
159) made gun trafficking a Federal offense and granted the government
new authorities to hold firearms smugglers accountable and to prosecute
perpetrators;
Whereas Homeland Security Investigations, in coordination with the Department of
State, has utilized these new authorities to set up a Transnational
Criminal Intelligence Unit in Haiti to work with the Haitian National
Police to investigate and prosecute transnational crimes, including
firearms and ammunition smuggling, human trafficking, and transnational
gang activity;
Whereas, in July 2023, the Department of Justice appointed the first United
States Coordinator for Caribbean Firearms Prosecutions to ensure
collaboration with the Department of State and investigate gun-related
crimes in the region;
Whereas, on November 16, 2023, Haiti and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,
Firearms and Explosives signed a memorandum of understanding to
facilitate cooperation through the eTrace system, an investigative tool
used by the bureau to track firearms used in criminal activity,
including their purchase history and manufacturer or importer;
Whereas the interim government of Prime Minister Ariel Henry was not duly
elected to office and lacked the constitutional or public legitimacy to
unilaterally organize free and fair elections;
Whereas the expiration of the terms of the majority of the members of the
Parliament of Haiti on January 10, 2023, without elected officials to
succeed them, led to the suspension of the legislature's activities and
have left the Haitian people without a functioning government;
Whereas, in February 2023, the interim government appointed members to the High
Transition Council, which is charged with facilitating a roadmap for
eventual democratic elections, but progress was hampered by gang
violence and a failure by Prime Minister Henry to reach political
consensus with major opposition parties;
Whereas, on October 6, 2022, Prime Minister Henry and 18 members of the Council
of Ministers issued an appeal to the international community for
security assistance and technical support to assist the Haitian National
Police's efforts to combat gang violence;
Whereas, on October 2, 2023, the United Nations Security Council overwhelmingly
voted to adopt Resolution 2699/2023, which authorizes the formation and
deployment of a Multinational Security Support (referred to in this
preamble as the ``MSS'') mission to re-establish security and the
Government of Kenya has subsequently agreed to lead the MSS mission in
close coordination with the Government of Haiti;
Whereas United Nations Security Council Resolution 2699/2023 authorizes the MSS
mission to provide operational support to the Haitian National Police--
(1) to support the provision of security for critical infrastructure
and transit locations;
(2) to help to ensure unhindered and safe access to humanitarian aid;
and
(3) to build security conditions that are conducive to holding free and
fair elections in Haiti;
Whereas the Government of Kenya has volunteered to send 1,000 police officers to
support the MSS mission and the Kenyan parliament has subsequently voted
to approve this action;
Whereas, on April 25, 2024, Ariel Henry resigned as prime minister and a 9-
member transitional presidential council, composed of representatives
from political parties and civil society, was sworn in and charged
with--
(1) selecting a new prime minister;
(2) appointing members to an electoral commission to facilitate the
election; and
(3) swearing in a new president by February 7, 2026;
Whereas Caribbean Community (commonly known as ``CARICOM'') member states are
vital partners in supporting the MSS mission and Antigua and Barbuda,
the Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Benin, Chad, Guyana, and Jamaica have
each publicly committed to contributing personnel or resources to the
MSS mission;
Whereas the MSS mission is not a substitute for a sustainable, professional, and
well-equipped Haitian National Police that protects and serves the
entirety of the Haitian people;
Whereas Congress, through the passage of the Haiti Development, Accountability,
and Institutional Transparency Initiative Act (division V of Public Law
117-103), has previously directed the Secretary of State to prioritize
the protection of human rights and anti-corruption efforts in Haiti and
urges the Department of State to integrate these priorities into
oversight and accountability mechanisms for the MSS mission;
Whereas a Haitian-led, inclusive, and sustainable political solution is the only
path forward for the country to restore security, the rule of law,
democratic institutions, and economic stability; and
Whereas the international community and those contributing to the MSS mission
must ensure that--
(1) the MSS mission does not inadvertently support nondemocratic actors
who would attempt to seize on improved security conditions to entrench
their own power or perpetuate instability; and
(2) lessons learned from previous international missions in Haiti,
including the need to promote respect for human rights and promote
accountability, are applied: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) recognizes the urgent need to restore peace and
security and alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Haiti as part
of an overarching strategy--
(A) to promote a return to democratic governance in
the country; and
(B) to ensure that Haitians enjoy their right to
liberty and security of person;
(2) supports a MSS mission, as authorized by the United
Nations Security Council on October 2, 2023, which adequately--
(A) complies with international law, including
international human rights law, as applicable;
(B) takes all necessary steps to protect civilians
and respect the rule of law;
(C) maintains the popular support of the Haitian
people;
(D) consults with and incorporates feedback from
impacted populations, with attention to vulnerable
communities, including women, children, and the
economically disadvantaged; and
(E) is bound by strict time constraints and is
subject to oversight and renewal by the United Nations
Security Council in specified increments;
(3) applauds the assistance and other support the
Department of State and the Department of Defense have provided
to secure intelligence, airlift, communications, and medical
support for the MSS mission;
(4) commends the support offered to-date by CARICOM and
international partners, including Antigua and Barbuda, the
Bahamas, Bangladesh, Benin, Chad, Guyana, and Jamaica, which is
necessary to operationalize the MSS mission;
(5) calls on other members of the international community
to pledge financial assistance, logistical and operational
support, and personnel to the MSS mission to the greatest
extent possible;
(6) endorses international election monitoring in Haiti in
support of free and fair elections; and
(7) encourages additional assistance from the United States
and the international community to address Haiti's humanitarian
needs, including through additional contributions to the United
Nations Humanitarian Appeal for fiscal year 2024 and for
subsequent fiscal years.
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