Commemorating the courage of the Haitian soldiers that fought for American independence in the "Siege of Savannah" and for Haiti's independence and renunciation of slavery.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, and I join him as a fellow member of the Foreign Affairs Committee to applaud and congratulate the distinguished gentleman from Florida who has a long history of representing Haitians in Florida, and who has a long history of concern for the Haitian people both today and in the past.

As a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee and one who has traveled to Haiti and visited individuals who were incarcerated because of their beliefs in democracy, this commemoration is important because it reemphasizes the long-standing friendship between the United States and the Haitian people.

I am saddened by the journey that Haitians have had to take over the last decade from Baby Doc and the oppressive leadership that they have had in past years, and their desire of necessity to flee because of persecution to the United States; and then, of course, the double standard between the wet feet/dry feet immigration policies where many of them have been treated in a discriminatory fashion.

This accolade is long overdue. I might acknowledge the fact that this was in the early years of our beginning. It was in the dawn of October 9, 1779, that this battle was fought on the western outskirts of Savannah, what was unquestionably the second bloodiest battle of the entire 8 years of the American War for Independence. Can we imagine that. These brave soldiers left their soil, many, many miles away from our land, about 750 Haitian freemen fought alongside colonial troops against the British in the Siege of Savannah on October 9, 1779. In a single hour, there fell within the area of a few hundred square yards more dead and wounded than are credited to any other battlefield in the struggle for American independence except for Bunker Hill. The valor of these brave men deserve to be commemorated, and I am proud to be a cosponsor of this legislation.

Of course, we know that American history is intertwined with many brave persons from places far and wide. But I think this statement today also cements the importance of Haiti today as we fight against the extensive poverty that exists now today, as we try to assist them in building their democratic government, as we try to reemphasize a friendship between the United States and Haiti, and in essence apologize for some of the interventions that could be considered coups that resulted from policies utilized in this country.

I would say this is a very important statement that again reinforces the relationship and again talks about the bravery of these Haitian soldiers.

At a time when we are engaged in a global war on terror, joined by our friends and allies, it is imperative that we recognize the service and dedication provided in the past by foreign countries like Haiti.

Mr. Speaker, I close my words by congratulating Mr. Meek again for this outstanding legislation; but more importantly, thanking the Haitian people, even though it may be somewhat late.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 909, commemorating the courage of the Haitian soldiers that fought for American independence in the ``Siege of Savannah'' for Haiti's independence and renunciation of slavery, introduced by my distinguished colleague Congressman Kendrick Meek of Florida. This is to be commended because it helps to educate Americans about the significant contributions made by Haitian ancestors.

Mr. Speaker, in the early dawn of October 9, 1779, there was fought, on the then western outskirts of Savannah, what was unquestionably the second bloodiest battle of the entire 8 years of the American War for Independence. About 750 Haitian freemen fought alongside colonial troops against the British in the ``Siege of Savannah'' on October 9, 1779. In a single hour there fell within an area of a few hundred square yards more dead and wounded than are credited to any other battlefield in the struggle for American independence except for Bunker Hill. The valor of those brave men deserves to be commemorated, and I am proud to cosponsor this legislation honoring their bravery and sacrifice.

The year before, the city of Savannah, Georgia, had been captured by a British expeditionary corps under Lieutenant Colonel Archibald Campbell. On October 9, 1779, there was an attempt to retake Savannah from the British. The siege itself consisted of a joint effort with America, France, and Haiti. This battle represents the Revolutionary War as an international conflict more than any other engagement of the Revolution. It was the first time the French fought alongside the colonial army. This battle reminds us that the contribution of foreign resources, men, money, and material helped lead to the eventual success of the American cause for independence. It is important to provide recognition for the efforts of Haiti and their role in helping to liberate America from British rule.

At a time in our country when we are engaged in a global war on terror, joined by our friends and allies, it is imperative that we recognize the service and dedication provided in the past by foreign countries like Haiti. Many of the foreign allied soldiers, including Haitians, who sacrificed during the process of America gaining freedom and independence, have not been recognized for their contributions to this Nation. Some were never told,

``thank you'' for helping to better our society and contributing to our freedom. Too many were forgotten and unrecognized for their diligence, commitment and sacrifices.

As we continue to celebrate the month of February and Black History Month, let us be mindful of the Haitian soldiers and the numerous others of the African diaspora that renounced slavery and aided in the formation of our great Nation. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution honoring the courage of the Haitian soldiers who fought for American independence and renunciation of slavery .

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleagues for the very kind words they have given about this great piece of legislation, this resolution.

I think it is very, very important, Mr. Speaker, that we come together as a country and celebrate the contributions of other countries and the roles that they played in assisting us not only with our independence but making it concrete.

Mr. Speaker, as we look at House Resolution 909, I want to give my sincere thanks to the Committee on Foreign Affairs for bringing this resolution to the floor, and especially shed light on Chairman Lantos for his forward-leaning and making sure that this resolution made it through the process. And he will be forever missed here in this body. And hopefully his memory will continue on, not only on the committee, but here in Congress.

I think it is also important that we pause to not only thank staff but also thank Haitian Americans throughout this country that have fought very hard on behalf of this country, not only in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other theaters, but have contributed in many other areas. And that is where this bill came about.

The Haitian American Historical Society in Miami, Florida, moved forth with a monument in Savannah of the great battle, and I had an opportunity to go there recently. And there are a number of Haitians and those that care about the well-being of Haiti that wanted to make sure that the contributions of these soldiers were recognized in a way that will be able to allow not only this generation but future generations to understand Haiti's contributions.

When you start talking about 500 freed Haitian slaves traveling to Savannah, Georgia, to be a part of a multinational force to fight on behalf of this country against the Brits at that particular time, and to be in the same city where you had people who look like me that were enslaved, and traveling to Savannah is a very moving experience for every American, because so many battles have taken place there and it is such a historical and beautiful city that you can't help but pause to think about the courage.

So for us to be on the floor, Mr. Speaker and Members, to not only talk but to pass, hopefully, this resolution will be the first time in the history of the Republic that we have actually said thank you to Haiti, that we have said thank you to the families of the 300 to 500 troops that actually traveled to Savannah to fight on our behalf. I don't believe it is too late, but I think that it is very appropriate for us to be on the floor and allow the Members to show their appreciation for their contributions.

As we celebrate not only the contributions of these soldiers but we also shed light with our Members and Americans about the contributions that Haitians have made, I think, as we look at this debate and we look at what we are doing for Haiti right now, we must bring Americans up to speed on the history. The fact that these freed slaves came to Savannah and fought, and the fact that Haiti was one of the first countries to denounce slavery and to fight for their own independence, to fight Napoleon that pushed him to carry out the Louisiana Purchase with the United States of America, these Haitian fighters traveled throughout the Western Hemisphere and played a very strong role in allowing the United States to be who we are.

So when we start talking about assistance for Haiti, it is not like it is a one-way street; it is a two-way street. And I am proud to represent a constituency where we have more Haitians than anywhere else in the United States of America, but Haitians throughout the diaspora, this will be a very proud day for them; and I believe it will be a very proud day for them when we vote in the affirmative.

When we look at the contributions of Mr. Henry Christopher who fought in the American Revolutionary War, to use his experience from the first free government in the Western Hemisphere, and when we look at what the Haitian Americans Historical Society has spent a number of years to be able to not only bring the Haitian American history to the Congress but to also bring to everyday Americans, I think it is very, very important, Mr. Speaker, that Members share with their constituency the contribution of these great men, and to be able to make sure that we share the history of all communities that have come to this country to make us strong.

Once again, I want to thank the committee, and I want to also thank the staff that has worked very hard on it. I know that we have other Members that want to speak in affirming the passage of this legislation. But I am personally moved because I represent a number of individuals that, when we look at immigration policy, when we look at aid to Haiti, when we look at our interventions when coups have taken place in Haiti, as recent as the 82nd Airborne, when we look at those in the State Department that serve within the Foreign Service and the conditions that they have to work under, when we also look at the Peace Corps and other organizations like it, religious institutions, a number of NGOs, that we call nongovernmental organizations, and what they do and where they live in the rural parts of Haiti, providing not only education and food; when we look at their contributions and we look at the conditions they have to work under now as Haiti struggles with natural disasters and struggles with hard economic times, this legislation will help enshrine not only the contributions of Haitians towards the United States, but also Americans returning not only the favor but the goodwill back to the great country of Haiti.

With that, Mr. Speaker, I urge the Members to vote in the affirmative on House Resolution 909.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I rise in support of House Resolution 909, and I join my colleagues in recognizes the valuable contribution and significant sacrifice that Haitians made as they joined the fight for American independence over two centuries ago.

In the fall of 1779, over 500 courageous men volunteered to cross the treacherous waters from Haiti to the U.S., to join our soldiers in the Siege of Savannah. This was no easy feat; yet these men were committed to fighting for America's liberty and independence.

Representing the largest contingent of soldiers of African descent to fight in the American Revolution, these Haitian troops bravely joined in our efforts, forging the friendship between the U.S. and Haiti that has only strengthened in the centuries that followed.

Sadly, such courage had a high price. More than 300 Haitians lost their lives in this battle. Last year, a monument to this glorious sacrifice was erected in Savannah, Georgia. The collaborative efforts of local officials in Georgia and the Haitian American Historical Society of Miami guided this project to completion.

Today, the Savannah monument stands as a tribute to those individual foreign volunteers who joined in the American Revolution and commemorates the historic bond between the U.S. and Haiti.

H. Res. 909 further commemorates Haiti's own struggle for independence and renunciation of slavery. What began as a slave revolt in 1791 ended with Haiti's own independence in 1804. And Haiti was the first nation in the Western Hemisphere to form a government led by the people of African descent and, remarkably, it was also the first nation in the Western Hemisphere to renounce slavery.

For this reason, I am proud to stand with my congressional colleagues in calling for the passage of this important resolution. Yet we must also recognize that there is more to be done.

Despite Haiti's early and historic commitment to democracy, the country continues to languish under the oppression of extreme poverty, disease, and violence. As a significant partner in the region, the U.S. must remain not only cognizant of Haiti's progress but also engaged in its development. We cannot be fully successful as a hemisphere without Haiti fulfilling its potential as a strong and vibrant nation.

I want to thank the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Meek) for introducing H. Res. 909 and am proud to join in the commemoration of such courageous individuals.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman from Florida's hard work and thoughtfulness in bringing this bill before the House, and I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Again, I appreciate the hard work of the gentleman from Florida in bringing this forward. I would urge my fellow Congressmen to vote ``yes'' on this very timely resolution, and having no further speakers, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 909) commemorating the courage of the Haitian soldiers that fought for American independence in the ``Siege of Savannah'' and for Haiti's independence and renunciation of slavery, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution and yield myself such time as I may consume.

First, I would like to thank the chief sponsor, my good friend and colleague, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Meek), for his introduction of this resolution, which commemorates the courage of the Haitian soldiers who fought alongside our Revolutionary soldiers for gaining independence from Great Britain.

House Resolution 909 also recognizes the establishment of the Haitian Memorial Monument, which celebrates the historical bond between the good people of Haiti and the United States, and demonstrates the significance of our Haitian American community.

Mr. Speaker, the Haitian Memorial Monument, designed by the Haitian- Canadian sculptor Gregroire Anocles, represents the war effort at the Siege of Savannah in the year 1779.

Haiti's involvement in the fight for America's independence some 226 years ago is a source of national pride for many Haitians, and it is long overdue that we attach the proper importance to this Haitian participation.

After returning home, Haitian veterans of the Revolutionary War led their own rebellion and revolution against French colonialism, and eventually received independence from France in the year 1804. Mr. Speaker, in becoming independent, Haiti became the first free country in the Western Hemisphere led entirely by people of African descent.

I strongly support this resolution, and I encourage my colleagues to vote in favor of this proposed bill.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, it is with pleasure that I yield such time as he may consume to the chief sponsor of this proposed legislation, my good friend, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Meek).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee).

I thank my good friend from Arkansas for management of this legislation and commend the gentleman from Florida and the gentlewoman from Texas for their eloquent statements concerning this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 909 introduced by Representative Kendrick Meek of Florida commemorating the courage of the Haitian soldiers that fought for American independence in the Siege of Savannah and for Haiti's independence and renunciation of slavery.

H. Res. 909 recognizes the honorable act of the Haitian soldiers of the Chasseurs-Volontaires de Saint Domingue who volunteered to join the fight for American independence in the fall of 1779. Already in the fifth year of the American Revolution, Americans were growing weary of gaining independence when the Haitians stepped in. Today, we give them our gratitude for their bravery in sending over 500 soldiers to aid us in our fight for independence. We also remember and honor their sacrifice of over 300 men lost during the Siege of Savannah in October 1779.

I hold Haiti's achievements of being the world's first black-led republic and the first Caribbean state to achieve independence in high esteem. However, Haiti continues to struggle against poverty and instability. This is why we need to commemorate the landmark of the brave actions of the 500 Haitians who fought alongside Americans for our freedom.

It is important that we honor the progress of states in the 21st century continuing the fight against racially driven injustice. I would like to mention that H.R. 3432, which I introduced in August 2007, was signed into law by the President last week on February 5, 2008. This bill called for the establishment of the commission on the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade.

As Haiti still struggles to find her own model of peace and liberty, we extend our support by commemorating the loyalty of Haitians to the U.S. Haitians played a vital role in America's path to independence and freedom.