Senators urge Obama administration to clarify position on Haiti in wake of cholera epidemic

A bipartisan coalition of U.S. senators recently urged the Obama administration in a letter to clarify their position on the growing cholera epidemic in Haiti.

The group includes U.S. Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Edward Markey (D-MA) and Robert Melendez (D-NJ).

“The recent devastation of Hurricane Matthew has only amplified Haiti’s humanitarian crisis and provided a situation that is likely to intensify the impacts of cholera in the country,” the letter said. “It is imperative, now more than ever, to develop a focused effort on eradicating disease transmission, and provide an expeditious path to material and financial assistance for cholera victims and their families.”

The senators said that it was necessary for the United Nations to accept full responsibility for the cholera outbreak and that the organization should begin the process of resolving claims for the victims of the epidemic.

The cholera epidemic began in Haiti in 2010, leading to 779,000 people being infected and more than 9,000 deaths.

“As the largest contributor to the UN regular budget and as the home country of hundreds of thousands of Haitian Americans, the position of the United States on resolving the claims of the victims of cholera in Haiti is of utmost importance,” the letter said. “We respectfully request an explanation in writing of the U.S. stance on the funding of new measures to eradicate cholera and on the UN’s legal position on Haitian claims stemming from the epidemic.”