Bahamas Lobbies US Congress and Senate for Hurricane Restoration and Mitigation Assistance

#TheBahamas, June 17, 2022 – On Monday and Tuesday, June 12th and 13th 2022, a Bahamian ministerial delegation comprising Minister of Works & Utilities Alfred M. Sears, QC, Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Public Service, Frederick Mitchell, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Ryan Pinder, Ambassador Wendall Jones and their respective technical and support staff met with various US Government officials in Washington, D.C.  The purpose of these meetings was to lobby for financial assistance from the United States Government to support Hurricane Dorian restoration projects in Abaco and Grand Bahama as well as infrastructural improvement around the AUTEC Base in Andros.

Attending these meetings were United States Senators, Congresspersons and their respective Staff members including:-

1. Senator Brian Schatz (D – HI), Member of Appropriations Subcommittees on Defense, and Military Construction; Member of the Foreign Relations Subcommittee on State Department and USAID Management
2. Senator Marco Rubio (R – FL), Vice Chairman of Select Committee on Intelligence, Member of Appropriations Subcommittees on Military Construction and State and Foreign Operations; Ranking Member on Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere
3. Senator Jon Tester (D – MT), Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense; Member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction
4. Congressman Mike Waltz (R – FL), Member of the House Armed Services Committee
5. Congressman John Rutherford (R – FL), Member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction
6. Congresswoman Kathy Castor (D – FL), Chair of the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis
7. Congresswoman Lois Frankel (D – FL), Member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations
8. Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D – CA), Chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations
9. Senator Bill Hagerty (R – TN), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on State Department and USAID Management; Member of the Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere; Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittees on Military Construction and State and Foreign Operations
10. Congressman Ken Calvert (R – CA), Ranking Member of Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense
11. Congresswoman Betty McCollum (D – MN), Chair of the AppropriationsSubcommittee on Defense
12. Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D – FL), Chair of theAppropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction
13. Congressman Gregory Meeks (D – NY), Chair of the House Foreign AffairsCommittee
14. Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D – CA), Chair of the House Financial Services Committee

This trip was made pursuant to a Cabinet decision that the Government, in partnership with a local Bahamian foundation, engaged the US law firm of Holland & Knight to lobby the United States Government for financial assistance to support hurricane restoration and mitigation in The Bahamas.

The delegation thanks the Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas for his commitment and continued support of this engagement.

The Government of the Bahamas expresses gratitude to Holland & Knight and its partner Jim Davis for coordinating this initiative, and also to the talented team from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Bahamas Embassy in Washington, in particular Ms. Farrah Styles, Leshia Deveaux and Jade Williams, for facilitating the work of the delegation.

The Government also thanks the members of the US Senate and Congress and their staff for meeting with our delegation and for their expressions of support for The Bahamas.

The Bahamas remains committed to its partnership with the United States through its bilateral agreements, inter-locking borders and shared values.

The delegation returned to The Bahamas on Wednesday, June 14, 2022.

Release: Bahamas Information Services/ Ministry of Works and Utilities

Photo Captions:

Header: Pictured from left to right: Ambassador Wendall Jones, Minister Frederick Mitchell, Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Minister Alfred Sears and Attorney General Ryan Pinder.

1st insert: Pictured left to right: Ambassador Wendall Jones, Congressman Gregory Meeks, Jim Davis, Minister Alfred Sears and Attorney General Leo Ryan Pinder.

2nd insert: Pictured left to right: Minister Alfred Sears, Minister Frederick Mitchell, Senator Bill Hagerty, Attorney General Leo Ryan Pinder and Ambassador Wendall Jones.