U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy (Democrat, Vermont), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, senior most member of the Appropriations Committee, senior member of the Agriculture Committee, and Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operation, who had already led a parliamentary delegation to Haiti in February 2012, visited Haiti this week at the head of a delegation composed of Democrats Senators Sherrod Brown, Sheldon Whitehouse, Debbie Stabenow, of Republican Senator Jeff Flake and two members of the House of Representatives, the Democrats Jim McGovern and Chris Van Hollen.

During their visit, the delegation held discussions with the President Michel Martelly, Prime Minister, Laurent Lamothe and Haitian officials to discuss the cooperation between the United States and Haiti in the areas of economic development, the fight against drug trafficking and security issues.

The delegation visited the facilities of J/P HRO including a IDPs camp, a medical clinic and a new housing project led by American actor Sean Penn. Later, it also visited the National Penitentiary and Holy Trinity Cathedral.

At the end of his visit, at a press conference at the Diplomatic Lounge of the Toussaint Louverture International Airport before his return to the United States, the Senator Leahy declared "I have been to Haiti many times, several times since the earthquake. Immediately after the earthquake, I saw the devastation and I wondered if anybody can recover. Right now, I think that you are really making great strides and we just want to see more, so, I appreciate that."

HL/ HaitiLibre