Hope for Haiti

HOPE FOR HAITI

______

HON. GERALD E. CONNOLLY

of Virginia

in the House of Representatives

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to offer my deepest sympathy to the people of Haiti as they cope with the aftermath of yesterday's massive earthquake. The tremendous loss of life and the untold devastation has left the capital of Port-au-Prince in ruins and countless families facing the untold horrors of loved ones injured or killed. This earthquake has shown us nature's worst. The world's response to this awful tragedy will demonstrate the best of human nature. Many people will offer relief and assistance, through time and money. As we have always done in times of international disaster, the United States is sending aid to Haiti, including Fairfax County's Urban Search and Rescue Team 1 (USAR Team 1), which deployed this morning. USAR Team 1 is one of two urban search and rescue teams nationwide that report to the U.S. Agency for International Development--Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance for humanitarian deployments. This highly trained rescue team has deployed to numerous locations across the globe, saving lives in areas such as Armenia, Indonesia, Romania, Kenya, Bolivia, Oklahoma City, and the Pentagon, providing critical lifesaving rescues, especially in building collapse situations. In this terrible time of tragedy, Fairfax County's USAR Team 1 represents the best that America has to offer, hope and a commitment to helping those in need. I commend the men and women of USAR Team 1 on their heroic efforts, mourn for those who lost their lives and pray for those awaiting aid.