Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28), Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Emergency Communications, Preparedness and Response, today released the following statement as the United States provides additional response and recovery relief to Haiti:

“In these first critical hours, Americans nationwide and our federal government are focusing on saving lives in Haiti and supporting its recovery. In the coming days, American-based efforts on the ground will increase under the direction of the State Department, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and other federal agencies in a supportive role, such as the U.S. Coast Guard and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

“As Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Emergency Communications, Preparedness and Response, I have maintained a pulse on the developments in Haiti and I fully support the widespread relief efforts of the Departments of State, Defense, and Homeland Security.  The work they’ve done over the past 72 hours has been critical to providing relief to our Haitian neighbors and those Americans who reside within Haiti.

“Looking forward, this crisis presents another opportunity for us to examine international humanitarian relief efforts. These valuable emergency response experiences can help the United States determine how best to provide humanitarian relief in the future and how best to apply these experiences to national emergencies here at home. Our hearts and minds are with the good people of Haiti and we support those ongoing efforts to bring them relief and recovery.”

Useful Information to Provide Assistance & Donations: In the first 36 hours of this crisis, USAID has provided $28 million to focus on immediate life-saving needs such as search and rescue and food aid.  The United States will provide substantially more assistance as additional needs are identified to help Haiti and others in the region.  

If you are interested in providing donations, in-kind contributions and other assistance to Haiti, there are several ways to help.

The State Department helped set up a short code for those wishing to send immediate monetary assistance.  To take advantage of this, constituents may text "HAITI" to "90999" and $10 will be automatically donated to the Red Cross. This charge will appear on your mobile device billing statement.

If you have a significant in-kind contribution to make – such as a plane, a cargo ship, a team of doctors, portable generators, or large-scale water purification equipment – please visit the website of the Center for International Disaster Information at www.cidi.org. The Center for International Disaster Information is a partner organization of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) that can help put usable donations on the ground in Haiti. 

Other ways to donate are below, however please be aware that the FBI warns donors to be alert to the potential for scams. After a tsunami devastated Southeast Asia in 2004, many people lost money by donating to relief organizations that turned out to be fraudulent. The FBI offers several tips here.

Oxfam has an emergency team in the capital, Port-au-Prince, responding with public health, water, and sanitation services. You can donate online through its Haiti Earthquake Response Fund or by calling 1-800-77-OXFAM.   www.oxfamamerica.org

Partners In Health is taking contributions for relief efforts in Haiti, including medical supplies. The organization has had a presence in Haiti for more than 20 years, working to address the health care needs of the country's poor.  www.pih.org

Salvation Army: You can donate to The Salvation Army's efforts in Haiti by calling 1-800-SAL-ARMY (725-2769) or by visiting their web site. www.salvationarmyusa.org

UN World Food Programme is accepting donations. The head of the WFP Josette Sheeran said the agency is deploying its resources in Haiti, including 86 metric tons of food.  www.wfp.org

National Nurses United has issued a call for nurse volunteers to provide assistance to those affected by the earthquake in Haiti. www.nationalnursesunited.org

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Congressman Henry Cuellar is a member of the U.S. House Homeland Security, Agriculture, and Government Oversight & Reform Committees in the 111th Congress. He is also Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Emergency Communications, Preparedness and Response. Accessibility to constituents, education, health care, economic development, and national security are his priorities. Congressman Cuellar is also a Senior Whip and member of the Blue Dog Coalition.