Floor SpeechUrgent2026-01-14

HAITI ECONOMIC LIFT PROGRAM EXTENSION ACT

HealthcareTaxesEnvironmentForeign PolicyChinaEthics

Context

On 2026-01-14, Representative Gregory F. Murphy (R-NC-3) delivered a floor speech titled "HAITI ECONOMIC LIFT PROGRAM EXTENSION ACT" in the House. The speech addressed healthcare and also covered taxes, the environment. It referenced legislation: HR6504.

Full Text

HAITI ECONOMIC LIFT PROGRAM EXTENSION ACT

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 10 (Wednesday, January 14, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 10 (Wednesday, January 14, 2026)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E40] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] HAITI ECONOMIC LIFT PROGRAM EXTENSION ACT ______ speech of HON. GREGORY F. MURPHY of north carolina in the house of representatives Monday, January 12, 2026 Mr. MURPHY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of my bill H.R. 6504, the HELP Extension Act. My legislation provides a three-year extension of the HOPE/HELP programs. These are trade preference programs which in the past has helped deliver meaningful economic opportunities to thousands of people in Haiti who desperately need stability, hope, and a path forward. I first traveled to Haiti doing medical mission work following the devastating earthquake in 2010, and I have returned many times since. Through those visits, I have come to know the people of Haiti well. They are good, hard-working people who are resilient and strive for stability and dignity in the midst of chaos and profound suffering caused by political unrest. Today, Haiti is facing an unprecedented convergence of crises. Rampant gang violence, political uncertainty, and the near-total collapse of basic institutions have devastated daily life and pushed an already fragile nation to the brink of disaster. In this environment, economic stability is not a luxury. It is a necessity to give the people an opportunity to have some semblance of a normal life. Jobs mean food on the table, children in school, and communities that are less vulnerable to criminal influence, corruption and violence. The HOPE/HELP programs remain among the few functioning lifelines that provide lawful employment and economic stability in Haiti, and it is imperative that the U.S. play a role in these endeavors. Extending these programs will not by any means solve all of Haiti's challenges, but it will preserve jobs, provide employers with certainty, and allow them to continue employing hardworking Haitians during an extraordinarily difficult time. Stability in Haiti matters deeply to the United States. Haiti is in our own backyard. What happens there affects the broader stability of our hemisphere. When nations in our hemisphere collapse, the consequences inevitably reach our shores. Malign influences such as Islamic radicals or dictatorial regimes such as Russia and China see an avenue to gain a foothold against the U.S. in our region. Ensuring stability, opportunity, and lawful economic activity in Haiti as a defensive measure, if for not other reasons, is squarely in the national security interest of the United States. If these jobs were to disappear, it would fuel further instability and risk creating a vacuum that could be filled by gangs, transnational criminal organizations, or these hostile foreign actors. Without legitimate employment opportunities, many Haitians are left with impossible choices. Either submit to criminal networks, migrate to another country, or starve. So please understand that the HOPE/HELP program is a win-win for all parties involved. It is good for Haiti, good for America, and good for the security of the Western Hemisphere. I would also like to mention a dear friend of mine, Father Rick Frechette, a Catholic priest from Connecticut who has served the poorest of the poor in Haiti for more than 40 years. He has regularly tended to their spiritual and medical needs. Yet at the same time, he has, at his own personal peril, rescued hundreds of kidnapped individuals held ransom by these murderous bandits that control much of Port au Prince. I converse with him regularly, and he provides firsthand insight into the worsening conditions on the ground. The picture he describes is heart breaking and appalling. Several hospital guards have been killed, many hospitals workers forced to leave the country, and the threat of criminal gangs continues to be an ever- present danger. These are the real human consequences of instability. We have a moral and national responsibility to act where we can and to support policies that prevent further collapse. I urge all of my colleagues to support this critical life and nation saving legislation. ____________________

Referenced legislation: HR6504

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HAITI ECONOMIC LIFT PROGRAM EXTENSION ACT Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 10 (Wednesday, January 14, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 10 (Wednesday, January 14, 2026)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E40] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] HAITI ECONOMIC LIFT PROGRAM EXTENSION ACT ______ speech of HON. GREGORY F. MURPHY of north carolina in the house of representatives Monday, January 12, 2026 Mr. MURPHY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of my bill H.R. 6504, the HELP Extension Act. My legislation provides a three-year extension of the HOPE/HELP programs. These are trade preference programs which in the past has helped deliver meaningful economic opportunities to thousands of people in Haiti who desperately need stability, hope, and a path forward. I first traveled to Haiti doing medical mission work following the devastating earthquake in 2010, and I have returned many times since. Through those visits, I have come to know the people of Haiti well. They are good, hard-working people who are resilient and strive for stability and dignity in the midst of chaos and profound suffering caused by political unrest. Today, Haiti is facing an unprecedented convergence of crises. Rampant gang violence, political uncertainty, and the near-total collapse of basic institutions have devastated daily life and pushed an already fragile nation to the brink of disaster. In this environment, economic stability is not a luxury. It is a necessity to give the people an opportunity to have some semblance of a normal life. Jobs mean food on the table, children in school, and communities that are less vulnerable to criminal influence, corruption and violence. The HOPE/HELP programs remain among the few functioning lifelines that provide lawful employment and economic stability in Haiti, and it is imperative that the U.S. play a role in these endeavors. Extending these programs will not by any means solve all of Haiti's challenges, but it will preserve jobs, provide employers with certainty, and allow them to continue employing hardworking Haitians during an extraordinarily difficult time. Stability in Haiti matters deeply to the United States. Haiti is in our own backyard. What happens there affects the broader stability of our hemisphere. When nations in our hemisphere collapse, the consequences inevitably reach our shores. Malign influences such as Islamic radicals or dictatorial regimes such as Russia and China see an avenue to gain a foothold against the U.S. in our region. Ensuring stability, opportunity, and lawful economic activity in Haiti as a defensive measure, if for not other reasons, is squarely in the national security interest of the United States. If these jobs were to disappear, it would fuel further instability and risk creating a vacuum that could be filled by gangs, transnational criminal organizations, or these hostile foreign actors. Without legitimate employment opportunities, many Haitians are left with impossible choices. Either submit to criminal networks, migrate to another country, or starve. So please understand that the HOPE/HELP program is a win-win for all parties involved. It is good for Haiti, good for America, and good for the security of the Western Hemisphere. I would also like to mention a dear friend of mine, Father Rick Frechette, a Catholic priest from Connecticut who has served the poorest of the poor in Haiti for more than 40 years. He has regularly tended to their spiritual and medical needs. Yet at the same time, he has, at his own personal peril, rescued hundreds of kidnapped individuals held ransom by these murderous bandits that control much of Port au Prince. I converse with him regularly, and he provides firsthand insight into the worsening conditions on the ground. The picture he describes is heart breaking and appalling. Several hospital guards have been killed, many hospitals workers forced to leave the country, and the threat of criminal gangs continues to be an ever- present danger. These are the real human consequences of instability. We have a moral and national responsibility to act where we can and to support policies that prevent further collapse. I urge all of my colleagues to support this critical life and nation saving legislation. ____________________ Referenced legislation: HR6504