Bipartisan bill demands Trump administration come up with strategy to help Haiti
U.S. Rep. Gregory Meeks, a New York Democrat and the ranking member on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, introduced late Wednesday the bipartisan 'Strategy to Address Key Priorities Affecting Security and Empowerment in Haiti Act of 2025.'' The bill is also dubbed the 'SAK Pase in Haiti Act of 2025,' which plays off the popular Haitian Creole saying meaning, 'What's happening?'
'The level of human suffering in Haiti is completely unacceptable, and we need a comprehensive strategy to address it,' said Meeks, who is co-sponsoring the legislation with U.S Rep. Greg Murphy, a North Carolina Republican. 'Today's legislation represents a bipartisan commitment in the House of Representatives to adopt a comprehensive strategy that will support the Haitian people during the ongoing dire humanitarian and security crisis.'
Murphy, a physician, worked as a medical missionary in Haiti, where today most of the hospitals in the capital are shuttered due to gangs and a faltering health system. Schools and social services are on the brink of collapse.
'As a medical missionary, I spent a great deal of time in Haiti and understand first-hand the issues that are plaguing the country and the need for stability,' Murphy said. 'I am proud to support the bipartisan Sak Pase Act with Ranking Member Meeks and look forward to exploring ways the U.S. can bring peace to Haiti.'
The legislation, if it passes, would require Secretary of State Marco Rubio to submit to Congress a comprehensive strategy to counter gang violence and advance stability in Haiti within 90 days of enactment.
The State Department would also need to consult with key groups in developing a strategy, including Haitian civil society, international partners such as the European Union, Canada, the 15-member Caribbean Community known as CARICOM, as well as the United Nations and other international agencies. The legislation also requires the secretary of state to submit to Congress a report describing progress made in implementing the strategy no later than 120 days after the submission of the strategy and annually thereafter for five years.
One requirement in the bill that sets it apart from other congressional legislation is that it also asks for an assessment on the importance of supporting the Haitian national police, the Armed Forces of Haiti, the Multinational Security Support mission headed by Kenay and other security forces to counter gang activity and violence in Haiti. The legislation also seeks to support the current under-resourced Kenya-led security mission, whose funding runs out in September, and figure out the feasibility of a formal U.N. peacekeeping mission.
The inclusion of the Armed Forces of Haiti is unusual and underscores a growing call among Haitians for the formal recognition of the country's small army and the need for its use in the fight against gangs. The force was disbanded years ago, and past human rights violations have prevented it from being properly armed or supported by U.S. officials.
Nevertheless, there is emerging consensus that Haiti needs a second force and that the country's army, barely 1,000 individuals, can't remain on the sidelines at at time gangs have forced 1.3 million people out of their homes and pushed schools, hospitals and the economy to the brink of collapse.
The Trump administration has yet to define a clear strategy on Haiti. U.S. officials have commended Kenya for stepping up to help the Haitian police fight gangs, but have not said if they will continue to support the mission, which remains under-equipped and under-funded as its mandate heads to renewal before the U.N. Security Council in October.
That lack of clarity has also stalled any action by the U.N. Security Council, whose members on Wednesday once more condemned the escalation in gang violence and armed gangs' rapes, murders and recruitment of childre,n but failed to take any serious action.
'The lack of security, and overall instability in Haiti, threatens to impede the holding of free and fair elections in a timely manner, while the territorial expansion of the gangs threatens to undermine the important gains made by both the Haitian National Police and the Multinational Security Support mission,' John Kelly, the U.S.'s acting representative at the U.N., said Wednesday during a discussion on the situation in Haiti to decide on the renewal of the mandate of the U.N. office, which expires on July 5.
'A few days ago, at the OAS general assembly, the United States made clear we believe this regional organization needs to take a stronger role in Haiti. That is why the United States co-sponsored a resolution to galvanize action for Haiti and complement efforts here at the U.N.,' Kelly said. 'The resolution passed unanimously. As we have said before, an increased role for the OAS is compatible with various models of U.N. support under consideration.'
Last month, while answering a question about the escalating gang violence in Haiti, Rubio said the State Department was currently working on a strategy.
In the meantime, Haiti observers have watched contradictory measures by the Trump administration, which recently used Haiti's ongoing gang violence as a rationale for ending immigration protections for hundreds of thousands of Haitians in the U.S. under Temporary Protected Status.
Both Meeks and Murphy say the United States has a national security interest in helping Haiti deal with the security, economic, political and humanitarian crises. Their bill also mentions expanding economic opportunity for Haitians through the duty-free Haiti HOPE/HELP program.
'The gangs unleashing violence and suffering across Haiti represent a threat to stability in Haiti and the region,' the legislation says. 'Stabilization of the security situation and full participation of civil society in Haiti must be a precondition for open democratic political processes; and a lasting solution to the crisis in Haiti must garner support from and be led by the Haitian people.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fox News
30 minutes ago
- Fox News
Democratic strategist says party lacks 'moral authority' on Texas redistricting fight
Democrats are fighting tooth and nail to stop Texas lawmakers' plan to redraw the state's congressional map, but critics, including one prominent member of their own party, say they don't exactly hold the moral high ground. Democrat legislators have fled the state to avoid votes on redistricting, which is expected to add more Republican seats to Congress for the Lone Star State. They're getting the rock-star treatment as they visit blue states, where several governors have vowed to gerrymander Republicans out of their own Congressional delegations in retaliation for the Texas effort. However, Democratic strategist Julian Epstein told "Fox News Live" on Saturday that his party is not immune from criticism, as many blue states have already gerrymandered in a way that limits Republican congressional representation. "No, I think they don't have the moral authority, and there's a lot of pearl-clutching going on," he said. Several blue states, including Massachusetts, Connecticut and New Mexico, have no Republicans in their House delegations. And many feature oddly-drawn districts, seemingly crafted to limit GOP representation. "The Democrats don't have clean hands here. You look at states like Massachusetts, New Jersey[…] Illinois, California, and Democrats have effectively gerrymandered Republicans out of existence," Epstein added. Epstein cautioned that the nationwide redistricting battle could create a "race to the bottom," and that leaving Republicans and Democrats in states led by the opposite parties could lead to people feeling left out of the democratic process. Epstein cited New Jersey, in which Trump garnered 46% of the vote in 2024, but Republicans only have three out of the 12 congressional seats. Meanwhile, Texas state Rep. Brian Harrison, a Republican, told Fox News Digital on Saturday that Democrats are guilty of "total hypocrisy and faux outrage." "The dirty little secret is Democrats have no problem whatsoever with states redrawing their congressional maps to maximize partisan political advantage. They're just furious that Republican states are starting to redraw their maps," Harrison said. "It's because Democrat state after Democrat state, for a decade, has been gerrymandering the hell out of their congressional maps," he said. "Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, Rhode Island, Delaware, all of these states have zero. If you're a Republican in those Democrat states, you don't have any voice in Congress," he added. "And [there are] many, many more that have given you just one seat, Oregon, I think Maine and Maryland." In California, a special election is likely to occur in November to counteract the Texas redistricting plan. "We are talking about emergency measures to respond to what's happening in Texas, and we will nullify what happens in Texas," California Gov. Gavin Newsom said on Friday with some Texas state lawmakers. "We'll pick up five seats with the consent of the people. And that's the difference between the approach we're taking and the approach they're taking," Newsom added. "We're doing it on a temporary basis. We're doing it in a fully transparent way and we're doing it by asking the people of the state of California for their consent and support." Harrison explained that Texas's redistricting push has numerous reasons behind it, including the population growth in the Lone Star state since the last census.
New York Post
an hour ago
- New York Post
Democrat cuffed again after shoplifting at same Target, faces calls to resign
He's definitely not off Target. A Connecticut Democrat has been busted twice for shoplifting at the same Target store. State Rep. Raghib Allie-Brennan turned himself in to cops on July 28 after a warrant was issued on new shoplifting charges involving the same store where he was previously arrested in June. Allie-Brennan, 33, was caught allegedly failing to scan $26.69 worth of merchandise at Target's Bethel location. At the time, he told authorities he was rushing to bring the items to his grandma in the hospital. Allie-Brennan is facing calls to step down over the accusations. Raghib Allie-Brennan / Facebook 'I've been upfront about taking responsibility for my actions,' Aliie-Brennan said in a statement. 'I'm taking accountability and look forward to continuing my work on behalf of our community.' Store staff told cops they recognized the four-term lawmaker from 'previous unreported larcenies,' according to the CT Mirror. In the arrest warrant affidavit for the second incident, a Target security guard said they observed Allie-Brennan 'concealing items into the Goodfellow bag that he had selected.' The total value of the allegedly unpaid items in that case was $54.55, the Hartford Courant reported. Allie-Brennan was released on a promise to appear in state Superior Court on Aug. 5. Republicans in Connecticut have called for Allie-Brennan's resignation. 'It is regrettable that, once again, a Democrat member of the Connecticut General Assembly has found themselves in handcuffs and subject to criminal prosecution,' said Connecticut Republican State Chairman, Ben Proto. 'In light of these allegations, Representative Allie-Brennan should step down from his position.' Target security staff told police they recognized the politician from previous incidents. Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images On July 3, Allie-Brennan addressed the first incident in a Facebook post, saying he had applied for Accelerated Rehabilitation, a court program for first-time offenders that allows charges to be dismissed after completing conditions set by the court. 'I am taking responsibility for all of my actions and participating in a program to address my behavior seriously and constructively,' he wrote. Allie-Brennan told The Post that both charges are now being handled under the same application for Accelerated Rehabilitation. House Speaker Matt Ritter, a Democrat, said he has spoken with Allie-Brennan and expressed concern about his troubling behavior. 'Raghib will take some personal time away from the legislature over the next month to deal with the legal, political and personal ramifications,' he said.
Politico
an hour ago
- Politico
Universities want a deal in research funding battle with Trump
Major research institutions command some of the highest rates in part because they have expensive and state-of-the-art research equipment and are located in areas with high utilities costs. A federal district court judge in Boston blocked Trump's plan to cap the fees at 15 percent in March. The national average now is almost 30 percent. The case is now on appeal. In the meantime, GOP senators such as Appropriations Chair Susan Collins of Maine and Alabama's Katie Britt have protested the administration's plan because it would hurt the public universities in their states. Collins noted that Congress has explicitly barred the administration from tinkering with the indirect cost system in spending legislation. But even as schools were seeking relief in court and in Congress, a cadre of groups that lobby for them, including the Association of American Universities, the Association of American Medical Colleges, the Association of Independent Research Institutes and the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, was working out a compromise plan to offer Trump. Others in the crosshairs of Trump's bid to cut costs, such as hospitals and research institutes, are working with them. 'Those who say, 'Well, let's just wait and see, maybe the lawsuits will be fine.' No, there is change happening,' said Droegemeier, who has some cache in Trump's orbit because he led the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy during the president's first term. 'I can tell you for sure that [the White House Office of Management and Budget] is working on things. We're working on things. We're working together. But change is coming, and if people simply deny that they're fooling themselves — they'd better prepare for change one way or another.' This week, Trump tried a new tactic to wrest indirect funding from top-tier universities by issuing an executive order calling for agencies to give preference to universities with lower indirect costs when issuing awards. The university-led group announced this spring that it was working on a new model , one that was 'simple and easily explained,' and in a nod to the administration's priorities: 'efficient and transparent.' The Financial Accountability in Research, or FAIR plan, would consist of two options for research organizations to recoup facilities and administrative expenses from the government. The first, a detailed accounting of indirect project costs, and the second, a shorter, simpler fixed percentage of a project's budget. (Think itemized deductions vs. the standard deduction on federal taxes.) 'The biggest difference is rather than having an indirect cost rate, which is negotiated across the entire university, this model calls for indirect costs to be estimated for every project,' Jeremy Berg, former director of the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, an arm of the $48 billion grant-giving National Institutes of Health, told POLITICO. A lobbying push Debate over how much the government should pay for indirect costs has raged for decades. Both former Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama suggested capping facilities and administrative costs, to no avail. In Trump's first term, he proposed a 10 percent cap on indirect costs — meaning a $100 grant would come with a maximum of an additional $10 for administration and facilities. Lawmakers stopped him by adding language to appropriations bills barring the change. After the Trump administration announced the 15 percent cap in February, Droegemeier reached out to House Appropriations Chair Tom Cole (R-Okla.) to see if universities and Congress could work together on a compromise.
