110 HR 3674 IH: Iraqi U.S. House of Representatives 2007-09-26 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

I 110th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 3674 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 26, 2007 Mr. Hastings of Florida (for himself, Mr. Israel, and Mr. McGovern) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned A BILL To address the impending humanitarian crisis and security breakdown as a result of the mass influx of Iraqi refugees into neighboring countries, and the growing internally displaced population in Iraq, by increasing directed accountable assistance to these populations and their host countries, increasing border security, and facilitating the resettlement of Iraqis at risk.

1.

Short title; table of contents

(a)

Short Title

This Act may be cited as the Iraqi Refugee and Internally Displaced Persons Humanitarian Assistance, Resettlement, and Security Act of 2007. (b)

Table of Contents

The table of contents for this Act is as follows: Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. Sec. 2. Findings. Sec. 3. Sense of Congress. Sec. 4. Statements of policy. Sec. 5. Humanitarian assistance for Iraqi refugees and IDPs. Sec. 6. Improved border security. Sec. 7. Special immigrant status. Sec. 8. Expedited processing of Iraqi refugees. Sec. 9. International cooperation. Sec. 10. Report to Congress.

2.

Findings

Congress finds the following: (1)Since the beginning of the war in Iraq, according to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), more than 2,000,000 Iraqis have fled their homes for neighboring countries to avoid sectarian and other violence. (2)According to the UNHCR, there are 2,200,000 internally displaced people (IDPs) in Iraq, many lacking adequate food, shelter, and other basic services; (3)The security situation within Iraq reduces access to the Iraqi population by Iraqi Government agencies and humanitarian aid providers and greatly limits the provision of aid. (4)The dispersion of Iraqi refugees in poor urban areas of host countries makes it exceedingly difficult for humanitarian agencies to identify and reach these populations. (5)Iraq itself hosts more than 43,000 refugees from other countries, many of whom were refugees prior to 2003 and have been displaced in Iraq for a second time, including many Palestinians. (6)Palestinian refugee camps in Iraq near the Syrian and Jordanian borders remain in dire need of humanitarian assistance. (7)Many Iraqis have put their lives and those of their families at risk by working for the United States Government, United States companies, and nongovernmental organizations. (8)Since March 2003, the United States Government has admitted 1,459 Iraqi refugees, while Jordan, a resource-poor country, has accepted an estimated 750,000, Syria an estimated 1,500,000, and other countries neighboring Iraq have received hundreds of thousands more. (9)Current United States policies governing the processing of refugees constrain the Department of Homeland Security from expediting the screening procedures and increasing the number of Iraqi refugees accepted into the United States. (10)The massive flow of Iraqi refugees into neighboring host countries has overwhelmed existing social, economic, and security capacities of such countries. (11)The Government of Jordan and the Government of Syria require immediate assistance to adequately assist Iraqi refugee populations, to ensure an effective degree of security within their respective countries, and safeguard their borders. (12)Increasing destitution and poverty among displaced populations provide fertile ground for extremist ideologies to take root. (13)The Iraq Study group predicted that [a] humanitarian catastrophe could follow as more refugees are forced to relocate across the country and the region.. (14)The humanitarian crisis in Iraq threatens to destabilize the entire region and other areas as well, including Central Asia and Europe. (15)Jordan estimates that it needs more than $1,000,000,000 in emergency assistance and Syria estimates it needs more than $250,000,000 in similar assistance to adequately provide for the refugee populations they are hosting, ensure an effective degree of security within their respective countries, and safeguard their borders. (16)The United States policy is to admit at least half of the refugees referred by the UNHCR. In 2007, UNHCR referred more than 9,500 cases to the United States. The United States pledged to resettle 7,000 Iraqi refugees in 2007, later reduced to 2,000, a commitment which has yet to be met.

3.

Sense of Congress

It is the sense of Congress that— (1)Iraqi refugees and IDPs will have an impact on the security of the region and the short and long-term effects of their displacement must be considered within overall United States Iraq policy; (2)the United States must demonstrate its commitment to resettle Iraqi refugees and to work with other governments, including the member states of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, to encourage them to do the same; and (3)the United States should express its gratitude and support to host countries for providing humanitarian assistance to Iraqi refugees, as well as to those countries that have already resettled Iraqi refugees.

4.

Statements of policy

The following shall be the policies of the United States: (1)To spearhead efforts to provide for the relief of Iraqi refugees and IDPs, to take the lead in funding assistance requests from the UNHCR and other humanitarian agencies, and to assist in the resettlement of Iraqi refugees, particularly those who have risked their lives and the lives of their families to assist the United States in Iraq. (2)To develop immediately a comprehensive program to support the host countries and meet the needs of the growing Iraqi refugee and IDP populations, and appoint a high-level coordinator to ensure expeditious and effective implementation of such a program. (3)To work with the Government of Iraq to help it improve its capacity and ability to provide relief for internally displaced persons in all communities throughout the country and to provide assistance to Iraqi refugees in neighboring countries. (4)To commit to working with international partners, including the United Nations, donor countries, international financial institutions, and international and indigenous nongovernmental organizations to assist in providing for the emergency, medium, and long-term humanitarian needs of Iraqi refugees and IDPs.

5.

Humanitarian assistance for Iraqi refugees and IDPs

(a)

In general

With respect to each country containing a significant population of Iraqi refugees or IDPs, including Iraq, Jordan, Syria, Turkey, Iran, and Lebanon, the Secretary of State shall provide bilateral assistance to such countries, as appropriate, or funding to international aid organizations and nongovernmental organizations in accordance with subsection (b) that are working in such countries, to provide such refugees and IDPs with humanitarian assistance, including adequate food, shelter, clean drinking water, sanitation, health care, education, and security. (b)

Assistance and funding

Assistance and funding under paragraph (1) shall be in the form of— (1)contributions to the UNHCR that are not less than 50 percent of the amount requested by the UNHCR for 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011 for aid to Iraqi refugees; (2)contributions to the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent and other nongovernmental organizations working in such countries to provide aid to Iraqi refugees; and (3)contributions and technical assistance to relevant ministries of the Government of Iraq, contingent on matching Government of Iraq funding of assistance programs for IDPs and Iraqi refugees in neighboring countries, together with appropriate monitoring mechanisms. (c)

Special provisions relating to IDPs

The Secretary of State shall make every effort to ensure that the humanitarian needs of the most vulnerable IDP populations, including women, children, and religious and other minorities, are met, including increased resources to improve the registration capabilities of nongovernmental organizations for such IDPs, adequate food, shelter, clean drinking water, sanitation, health care, education, and security . (d)

Authorization of appropriations

There is authorized to be appropriated $700,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008, 2009, and 2010 to carry out this section. Amounts appropriated pursuant to this authorization shall be in addition to amounts otherwise available for such purposes.

6.

Improved border security

(a)

Security screening of refugees

(1)

In general

As soon as practicable but not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, in cooperation with the Secretary of State, shall establish a program to assist in improving the capacity of Jordanian border police, immigration officers, and other individuals who are responsible for Jordanian border security functions in the security screening of Iraqi refugees to determine the eligibility of such refugees for acceptance in Jordan. (2)

Scope of assistance

The program described in paragraph (1) shall be extended to ports of entry at Jordanian land, sea, and air borders and may include the following subject matter areas: (A)Police and border guard training, in order to conduct threat assessments of each refugee, detect threat items and contraband in the possession or on the person of a refugee, and identify any linkages of a refugee to terrorists or terrorist organizations. (B)Travel documentation authentication, including equipment and training, in order to aid in the verification of the authenticity of passports and other travel documents presented by refugees. (C)Technology, including biometric equipment for capturing a unique biometric of each refugee to be matched with their biographic data, and the establishment of a database for such information, and remotely-piloted aircraft, cameras, and sensors for border surveillance, including the collection of intelligence to counter smuggling and other criminal activities along the borders. (D)Personnel, for the purpose of interdicting the illegal movement of people, weapons, and other contraband across the border, including an increase in the number of border police and officers providing investigative support to border security functions. (b)

Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated $500,000,000 to carry out this section.

7.

Special immigrant status

(a)

In general

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, for purposes of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.), the Secretary of Homeland Security may provide an alien described in subsection (b) with the status of a special immigrant under section 101(a)(27) of such Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(27)), if the alien— (1)is otherwise eligible to receive an immigrant visa; and (2)is otherwise admissible to the United States for permanent residence. (b)

Aliens described

(1)

Principal aliens

An alien is described in this subsection if the alien— (A)is a national of Iraq; (B)was employed by, or worked for or with, the United States Government, United States companies, or nongovernmental organizations in Iraq on or after March 19, 2003, for a period of not less than one year; and (C)fears reprisal, persecution, injury, or death to the alien or the alien’s family due to the employment or work of the alien referred to in subparagraph (B). (2)

Spouses and children

An alien is described in this subsection if the alien is— (A)the spouse or child of a principal alien described in paragraph (1); and (B)is following or accompanying to join the principal alien in the United States. (c)

Benefits

Aliens provided special immigrant status under this section shall be eligible for the same resettlement assistance, entitlement programs, and other benefits as refugees admitted under section 207 of the Immigration and Naturalization Act (8 U.S.C. 1157). (d)

Protection of aliens

The Secretary of State, in consultation with the heads of other relevant Federal agencies, shall provide an alien described in this section who is applying for a special immigrant visa with protection or the immediate removal from Iraq if the Secretary determines that such alien fears reprisal, persecution, injury, or death to the alien or the alien’s family due to the employment or work of the alien referred to in paragraph (1)(B). (e)

Authorization of appropriations

There is authorized to be appropriated $500,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008, 2009, and 2010 to carry out this section. Amounts appropriated pursuant to this authorization shall be in addition to amounts otherwise available for such purposes.

8.

Expedited processing of Iraqi refugees

(a)

In general

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security, in cooperation with the Secretary of State, shall make every effort to streamline the screening and security investigations processes for assessing the eligibility of Iraqi applicants for refugee status in the United States. (b)

Prioritization

In carrying out subsection (a), the Secretary shall— (1)give priority to Iraqis who— (A)were employed by the United States Government, United States companies, and nongovernmental organizations; or (B)are members of particularly vulnerable refugee populations, including Iraqis from ethnically mixed families and Iraqis who are members of religious or other minority groups; and (2)increase by 100 percent the number of personnel of the Department of Homeland Security who conduct security reviews of Iraqi applicants for refugee status in the United States. (c)

Numbers

For each of fiscal years 2008, 2009, and 2010, up to 20,000 Iraqis may be accepted into the United States as refugees under this section.

9.

International cooperation

The Secretary of State, in cooperation with the Secretary of Homeland Security, shall work with the international community, including the United Nations, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the European Union, the Organization of American States, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and others to establish mechanisms to provide— (1)financial assistance to Iraqi refugee and IDP populations through bilateral assistance to host governments or through international organizations that are working directly with such refugee and internally displaced populations; (2)technical and financial assistance to international organizations in order to process refugees; and (3)increased attention to and advocacy on behalf of Iraqi refugees and IDPs by continuing to strongly support the work of the UNHCR and its donor conferences.

10.

Report to Congress

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act and every six months thereafter, the Secretary of State shall submit to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate a report regarding implementation of this Act, including— (1)assistance and funding to host countries and international aid organizations and nongovernmental organizations pursuant to section 5, and accountability reports regarding how such funds are being expended; (2)measures taken by the United States to increase its capabilities to process Iraqi refugees for resettlement and the number of Iraqi refugees resettled under sections 7 and 8; and (3)an evaluation of the effectiveness of measures implemented by agencies of the Government of Iraq to provide direct assistance to IDPs and Iraqi refugees in neighboring countries.