Vermont US Senator Patrick Leahy and spouse with Handicap International's Aleema Shivji and HHHI's Al Ingersoll. North Dakota Senator Kent Conrad is behind Aleema.

March 22, 2011 - Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee's Subcommittee on Department of State and Foreign Operations, headed a three-day congressional delegation that visited the Dominican Republic and Haiti this week. Other delegation members included Senator Kent Conrad (D-N.D.); Senator Kay Hagan (D-N.C.); Congressman Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Congressman Xavier Becerra (D-Calif.).

The State and Foreign Operations Subcommittee handles the Senate's work in writing the annual budget bills for the State Department, USAID, the Peace Corps and other foreign operations of the U.S. Government.

In addition to visiting a Peace Corps project in the Dominican Republic and meeting that country’s president, the delegation will meet the prime minister of Haiti and other government officials and will visit a number of sites to assess progress in relief and recovery efforts since last year’s earthquake, including housing reconstruction. They visited a camp for Haitians displaced by the quake, a health clinic and school, a garment manufacturing business, Healing Hands for Haiti International HHHI,  Physical Rehabilitation Center, and the central voting tabulation center.

Dr. Ben Nau, Aleema Shivji (Handicap International - HI) and Al Ingersoll presented HHHI and HI programs, responses and education efforts.  The group was very interested and asked many questions.

Dr.Ben Nau, Country Medical Doctor, presents our educational program to visiting dignitaries.

Rue John Brown in front of our Physical Rehabilitation Center in Port au Prince was closed off to ensure convenience of honoured guests.