US senators approve two billion dollars in aid for Haiti

[ProSense]

Source: AFP

WASHINGTON (AFP) – The US Senate Foreign Affairs Committee approved Tuesday a two billion dollar aid package to support reconstruction in Haiti, after a devastating earthquake that struck the nation in January.

The bill, proposed by committee chairman Senator John Kerry and his Republican colleague Bob Corker, would distribute the funds over two years to help reconstruction in coordination with Haiti's government.

The legislation directs the US Agency for International Development to establish a "comprehensive rebuilding and development strategy for Haiti" and calls for the appointment of a senior coordinator to oversee US policy towards the country.

Under the plan, which must now go to the full Senate and the House of Representatives for approval, Congress would receive a first report on a strategy for disbursement of the aid 90 days after the bill was signed into law, and annually thereafter.





Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100525/pl_afp/haitiquakeaiduscongress_20100525231525

[aquart]

1. Tell BP to fork it over.

Tell them they're paying for every damn item on the menu till that mess is cleaned up.

[karynnj]

2. Why would they pay for rebuilding Haiti???

[Synicus Maximus]

7. What does BP have to do with Haiti?

[jwirr]

3. I hope it is passed but I am afraid that we will force them to "modernize"

and forget the need for community building that fits the needs of very poor nations. AID and IMF, etc have done a lot of damage to the fabric of nations in the name of capitalism and globalization.

[Vinnie From Indy]

4. Just a thought, but maybe that two thousand million could be better spent

in the US on job creation or green energy.

[EFerrari]

6. Whatever they call it, it probably will go to the same ten entities.

The articles says a disbursement schedule has to be published 90 days after the bill is signed. I'd love to see that.

Don't worry. Haiti isn't getting anything we ever had a chance at. They will likely get very little of these funds at all.

[FrenchieCat]

8. Bunch of Black folks talking some strange language ain't worth it to us?

Aren't we selfish enough as it is?

[Vinnie From Indy]

11. Quite the racist statement FC

Yikes!

[tomm2thumbs]

5. hopefully the aid will be for things that can help them and are made in the US as much as possible

trying for a win/win as much as can be hoped here

[bigworld]

9. That's $200 per person in Haiti

That's quite a bit of money where the average yearly income is less than $400. I hope it's spent wisely.

[izquierdista]

12. Per person?

More like $200 million per family. The rich families. The 10 families that pretty much own everything in Haiti. I'm sure they and their financial advisers will appreciate it.

[BumRushDaShow]

10. Can the U.S. also find the $1.2 billion owed to Black U.S. farmers too? n/t