Va. Beach rescuers honored by Obama for work in Haiti

By Ben Feller

WASHINGTON

President Barack Obama on Wednesday renewed America's commitment to the recovery and reconstruction of earthquake-devastated Haiti, telling visiting President Rene Preval he knows the crisis has not passed.

After an Oval Office meeting, Obama stood beside Preval in the White House Rose Garden to praise the Haitian leader's courage and the heroic work of Americans who rushed to help as rescue workers or with generous donations. Among those in attendance were search-and-rescue workers from Virginia Beach and Fairfax and military service members.

Obama said the challenge now is "to prevent a second disaster" with the start of the rainy season in a country where masses of people are without shelter.

"The situation on the ground remains dire," Obama said, "and people should be under no illusion that the crisis is over."

More than 230,000 people perished in the ruins of the Jan. 12 earthquake. Obama called it an "international tragedy" and said he was proud the United States has played a leading role in relief efforts.

Moving forward, the president told Preval, Washington will remain a partner with Haiti on the long road to recovery and reconstruction.

The gray-bearded Preval stood erect as he listened to Obama, responding with words of gratitude.

"I thank you not only for the material support but the moral support, the psychological support that made us know we were not alone," the Haitian leader said.

At the same time, he said, rebuilding must take place in a way that benefits the entire country, not just the most devastated areas.

He said spreading "health care, education and jobs for all men and women" across his country would prevent "migratory flows to the big cities," which produced the sprawling and poorly built slums of the capital, Port-au-Prince.

Obama assured the Haitian leader that U.S. commitment "must and will endure" and that "America will be your partner."

Preval also met with leaders in Congress, and the House timed his visit to pass legislation directing U.S. officials to take the lead in urging multilateral development institutions such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund to cancel all of Haiti's debt. The Senate last week approved similar legislation.

Haiti owes some $828 million to these institutions, including $447 million to the Inter-American Development Bank and $284 million to the IMF.

Debt relief, said bill author Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., is "the simplest but most important thing we can do." She said it would "allow the government of Haiti to focus its meager resources on the essentials."

The measure also asks the Treasury secretary to use his influence to bring about the cancellation of the $400 million Haiti owes individual countries.

As Preval was in Washington, the U.S. military hospital ship Comfort lifted anchor off Haiti for the return cruise to Baltimore. The Comfort has been stationed off the country's coast for seven weeks, treating more than 800 earthquake victims.

The U.S. military also is scaling back in Haiti. The total number of U.S. forces there is expected to drop to about 8,000 in coming days, from a peak of around 20,000 on Feb. 1.