Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA), chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, joined Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett (D-VI) and Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL), co-chair of the House Haiti Caucus, along with 39 House colleagues and 10 Senate colleagues in sending a letter to House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Michael McCaul and Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member James Risch urging them to lift the hold on the State Department’s request for $94 million for the Multinational Security Support mission (MSS) to Haiti.
“Congressional Republicans’ refusal to support the Multinational Security Support mission in Haiti has become a serious obstacle to creating a pathway to the restoration of peace, security and democratic governance,” said Sen. Kaine. “As a result, extremely dangerous conditions will persist, putting millions of lives at risk and driving irregular migration to our borders and shores. Kenya has generously offered to lead the international response, but the situation is dire and time is short.
“As Kenyan President William Ruto visits Washington this week, it is crucial that we find a path forward on these funds so the international community can work together to use all tools at our disposal to address this crisis expediently and comprehensively.”
“The people of Haiti have suffered profound political, security and humanitarian crises with dignity and determination,” said Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett. “The establishment of the Multinational Security Support mission (MSS) in Haiti is paramount to advancing the national security interests of the United States, demonstrating American leadership in the Caribbean, and providing a lifeline to the Haitian people. If we act decisively and together, Haiti has a fighting chance to mitigate the chaos plaguing its communities.”
“The situation in Haiti is dire. According to the United Nations, over 2,500 Haitians were killed or injured by gang violence during the first three months of 2024. Nearly 4.4 million people in Haiti are facing famine, and approximately 398,000 people have been forcefully kicked out of their homes by gangs. The Multinational Security Support mission (MSS) is essential to providing stability to Haiti and protecting America’s national security,” said Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick. “For over six months, Congressional Republicans have refused to provide the resources needed to carry out the MSS, despite the deteriorating situation on the ground.”
The letter is signed by U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer (D-NY), Jack Reed (D-RI), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Jeffrey A. Merkley (D-OR), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), John W. Hickenlooper (D-CO), Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Peter Welch (D-VT) and Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and U.S. Representatives Gabe Amo (D-RI-01), Joyce Beatty (D-OH-03), Shontel Brown (D-OH-11), André Carson (D-IN-07), Kathy Castor (D-FL-14), Joaquin Castro (D-TX-20), Shelia Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL-20), Yvette Clarke (D-NY-09), James E. Clyburn (D-SC-06), Gerald Connolly (D-VA-11), Jasmine Crockett (D-TX-30), Danny Davis (D-IL-07), Valerie Foushee (D-NC-04), Lois Frankel (D-FL-22), Maxwell Frost (D-FL-10), Daniel Goldman (D-NY-10), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ-05), Jahana Hayes (D-CT-05), Steven Horsford (D-NV-04), Jonathan Jackson (D-IL-01), Henry Johnson (D-GA-04), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA-37), Robin Jelly (D-IL-02), Summer Lee (D-PA-12), Lucy McBath (D-GA-07), Jennifer McClellan (D-VA-04), Grace Meng (D-NY-06), Kweisi Mfume (D-MD-07), Jared Moskowitz (D-FL-23), Joe Neguse (D-CO-02), Eleanor Norton (D-DC), Adam Schiff (D-CA-30), Terri Sewell (D-AL-07), Darren Soto (D-FL-09), Bennie Thompson (D-MS-02), Dina Titus (D-NV-01), Ritchie Torres (D-NY-15), Marc Veasey (D-TX-33), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL-25) and Frederica Wilson (D-FL-24).
The text of the letter can be found at
https://www.kaine.senate.gov/download/52124-haiti-letter
