[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5488 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5488

   To provide for the recovery and stability of Iraq, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 26, 2008

   Ms. Waters (for herself, Ms. Lee, and Ms. Woolsey) introduced the 
 following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To provide for the recovery and stability of Iraq, and for other 
                               purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Recovery and Stability of Iraq Act 
of 2008''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND STATEMENT OF POLICY.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
            (1) The crisis of displaced Iraqis represents a profound 
        threat to the regional stability of the Middle East and 
        confronting the humanitarian crisis in Iraq is a national 
        security interest, as well as a profound moral responsibility.
            (2) Congress recognizes that violence in Iraq has 
        contributed to an enormous and urgent humanitarian crisis.
            (3) At the end of 2007, the total number of displaced 
        Iraqis is estimated to be approximately 4,500,000 people: 
        2,400,000 internally displaced and with nearly as many Iraqi 
        refugees having fled the country.
            (4) In 2006 the Iraq Study Group Report recommended that 
        ``If the [refugee and internally displaced persons] situation 
        is not addressed, Iraq and the region could be further 
        destabilized, and the humanitarian suffering could be severe'', 
        and that ``The United States should take the lead in funding 
        assistance requests from the United Nations High Commissioner 
        for Refugees, and other humanitarian agencies.''.
    (b) Statement of Policy.--It is the policy of the United States 
Government, as a party to the 1967 Protocol to the 1951 United Nations 
Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, to support the rights of 
displaced persons and scrupulously observe the principle of non-
refoulement, irrespective of whether or not such persons have been 
formally recognized as refugees.

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF IRAQI DISPLACEMENT COORDINATOR.

    (a) Establishment.--
            (1) In general.--There is established within the Executive 
        Office of the President a position to be known as the ``Iraqi 
        Displacement Coordinator'' (in this Act referred to as the 
        ``Coordinator''), who shall report directly to the President on 
        the state of the Iraqi displacement situation. Not later than 
        30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
        President shall appoint an individual to serve as the 
        Coordinator.
            (2) Identification and coordination.--The Coordinator shall 
        identify programs that address the humanitarian needs and 
        requirements of displaced Iraqis, and shall review, provide 
        advice, support, and coordinate with the heads of relevant 
        departments and agencies of the United States Government, the 
        Government of Iraq, countries hosting displaced Iraqis in the 
        region, the United Nations, and other involved nongovernmental 
        organizations (NGO's) and international organizations (IO's).
            (3) Duties.--The Coordinator shall be responsible for--
                    (A) leading the United States Government effort to 
                respond to the crisis confronting displaced Iraqis, 
                including refugees and internally displaced persons;
                    (B) ensuring to the greatest extent possible that 
                the rights and legal protections of displaced Iraqis 
                are respected and enforced by host countries;
                    (C) discouraging violations in the spirit of the 
                1967 Protocol to the 1951 Convention Relating to the 
                Status of Refugees by any country hosting displaced 
                Iraqis, including a country that is not a party to the 
                Protocol or Convention;
                    (D) pursuing coordination and support for host 
                countries of displaced Iraqis, recognizing that 
                humanitarian action is non-political by nature;
                    (E) ensuring proper management, implementation, 
                transparency, and oversight by agencies of the United 
                States Government responsible for assistance projects 
                for displaced Iraqis;
                    (F) resolving policy and program disputes among 
                departments and agencies of the United States 
                Government with respect to assistance projects for 
                displaced Iraqis;
                    (G) reporting directly to the President with 
                respect to assistance for displaced Iraqis; and
                    (H) encourage to the greatest extent possible the 
                Government of Iraq to authorize and fully support a 
                cabinet-level ministry position to support displaced 
                Iraqis.
            (4) Long-term planning for displaced iraqis.--
                    (A) Comprehensive strategy.--The Coordinator shall 
                design, in consultation with concerned governments in 
                the region, a comprehensive strategy to address the 
                needs of displaced Iraqis. The strategy should 
                recognize the need for immediate support for the most 
                vulnerable displaced Iraqis, as well as promote 
                durable, long-term solutions to the displacement 
                crisis. The strategy should recognize the unique needs 
                in each of Iraq's 18 provinces, and the needs of 
                countries hosting Iraqi refugees.
                    (B) Planning for the return of displaced iraqis.--
                The Coordinator shall encourage the Government of Iraq, 
                with the coordination of the United States Government, 
                the United Nations, appropriate foreign governments, 
                and other interested parties to develop a long-term 
                plan for the voluntary, dignified, and safe return of 
                displaced Iraqis to their homes. The plan should 
                address issues of return, repatriation, and 
                reintegration of displaced Iraqis, including providing 
                for proper procedures for settling property disputes. 
                Long-term planning for returns shall not interfere with 
                humanitarian assistance efforts for displaced Iraqis.
    (b) Reporting.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act and every 120 days thereafter, the 
        Coordinator shall submit to the President and Congress a report 
        on United States status of assistance efforts for displaced 
        Iraqis.
            (2) Contents.--The report required under this subsection 
        shall include the following information:
                    (A) A description of the strategy required under 
                subsection (a)(4).
                    (B) An assessment of the progress of the strategy 
                required under subsection (a)(4), and any steps taken 
                toward implementation of the strategy.
                    (C) The distribution of duties and responsibilities 
                regarding assistance projects for displaced Iraqis 
                among the agencies of the United States Government.
                    (D) An assessment of assistance efforts for 
                displaced Iraqis implemented by all relevant actors, 
                including the United States Government, the Iraqi 
                Government, foreign governments, the United Nations, 
                international organizations, and nongovernmental 
                organizations.
                    (E) An evaluation of the Government of Iraq's 
                ability to implement assistance for displaced Iraqis in 
                an effective and equitable manner.
                    (F) An overall evaluation of the humanitarian 
                conditions confronting Iraq and displaced Iraqis, and 
                the various regional impacts of their presence.
                    (G) An assessment of the budgetary needs of the 
                agencies United States Government in meeting the goals 
                of the comprehensive strategy.
                    (H) Recommendations for preventing future 
                displacement in Iraq.
    (c) Authorization of Funds.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated such funds as may be necessary for fiscal years 2009, 
2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013 for the establishment and operating costs of 
the Iraqi Displacement Coordinator within the Department of State.

SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act--
            (1) Displaced iraqis.--The term ``displaced Iraqis'' means 
        Iraqis who have become refugees or internally displaced 
        persons.
            (2) Internally displaced person.--The term ``internally 
        displaced person'' means a person who has been forced or 
        obliged to flee or to leave such person's home or place of last 
        habitual residence, in particular as a result of or in order to 
        avoid the effects of armed conflict, situations of generalized 
        violence, violations of human rights, or natural or human-made 
        disasters, and who have not crossed an internationally-
        recognized state border.
            (3) Non-refoulement.--The term ``non-refoulement'' has the 
        meaning given such term in the 1951 United Nations Convention 
        Relating to the Status of Refugees.
            (4) Refugee.--The term ``refugee'' means a person who is 
        outside the country of such person's nationality or, in the 
        case of a person having no nationality, is outside the country 
        in which such person last habitually resided, and who is unable 
        or unwilling to return to, and is unable or unwilling to avail 
        himself or herself of the protection of, that country because 
        of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution on account 
        of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular 
        social group, or political opinion.
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