[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 9] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page 12901] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION AS A KEY COMPONENT IN HAITI'S RECONSTRUCTION ______ HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL of new york in the house of representatives Tuesday, July 13, 2010 Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I stand before you today to acknowledge the role of education as an essential sector for effective and durable economic and social development, all of which should be fundamental in the rebuilding of a great nation, such as Haiti. The Haitian government has reported that the January earthquake has caused the destruction of 95 percent of schools in the Port-au Prince area. It is my belief that an uneducated population has the potential to become a national security threat and considering this dramatic situation, we must confront the crisis head on. In our effort to assist Haiti in becoming self-sustainable, education is the first step. Without the promotion and cultivation of human capital, there can be no substantial poverty reduction. We know that educational attainments improve the livelihoods of the poor and reduce the likelihood of becoming poor. Since Haiti has one of the largest income gaps between the rich and the poor in the world, providing accessible education is instrumental to creating a strong middle class, as well as sustaining small business and stimulating entrepreneurship. There needs to be a plan in place that utilizes the skills of highly educated staff and the input of leading experts in the field of education. This is needed to provide improvements to the Haitian educational system but also serve as a platform for innovation. High quality education and partnerships between Haitian and foreign educational institutions are attainable goals. The Government of Haiti has indicated its intention to promote free quality education and it is imperative that the United States and other friends of Haiti mobilize their efforts to provide easy access to education for all Haitian children. Let this be our gift to the children of Haiti in return for their ancestors' sacrifice for democracy. ____________________