WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-TN), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and ranking member of the International Development and Foreign Assistance Subcommittee, made the following statement today regarding the massive 7.0 earthquake that struck Tuesday near the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Haiti this morning, their loved ones, and those aiding in the recovery efforts. We have mobilized our staff to offer as much assistance as possible to Tennesseans affected by the crisis,” said Corker. “I’ve felt a strong connection to Haiti since a church mission trip took me there more than 25 years ago. It’s hard for many of us to imagine living in the poverty that plagues the country, and as I see the images of destruction and instability I find myself thinking about those I’ve met who were already maintaining such a fragile existence.”
Tennesseans seeking information about loved ones in Haiti may contact the local Corker office that serves their area. To locate that office, please visit: http://corker.senate.gov/public/.
The U.S. State Department Operations Center has set up the following number for Americans seeking information about family members in Haiti: 1-888-407-4747.
In October 2007, Corker traveled with Senators Jeff Bingaman (D-New Mexico) and Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) to Haiti where the delegation met with President Préval, MINUSTAH (United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti) Force Commander Major General Carlos Alberto Dos Santos Cruz, and U.S. Ambassador to Haiti Janet Sanderson and made several visits in and around Port-au-Prince to explore various humanitarian, economic and environmental preservation initiatives.
This was Corker’s first visit back to Haiti since a church mission trip to the country 25 years ago which led him to public service. The mission trip was a pivotal experience for Corker, and after returning home to Chattanooga he began looking at needs in his own community. Realizing that many people in Chattanooga didn’t have decent housing and that homeownership could be a turning point for many families, he led the creation of a non-profit organization that today has helped over 10,000 families secure decent, fit and affordable housing through low-interest loans and personal training in home maintenance. The process of starting the non-profit led to greater civic involvement and eventually Corker’s public service as mayor of Chattanooga, commissioner of finance for the state of Tennessee, and now as a U.S. senator.
