[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6496 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6496

  To address the impending humanitarian crisis and potential 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, facilitating the resettlement of 
                Iraqis at risk, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 15, 2008

 Mr. Hastings of Florida (for himself, Mr. Dingell, Mr. McGovern, Mr. 
    Shays, Mr. Blumenauer, Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas, Ms. 
Schakowsky, Ms. Moore of Wisconsin, Mr. Olver, Mr. Israel, Mr. Welch of 
   Vermont, and Ms. Waters) 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 potential 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, facilitating the resettlement of 
                Iraqis at risk, 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; 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 2008''.
    (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 vulnerable populations in Iraq, 
                            IDPs, and Iraqi refugees.
Sec. 6. Iraqi refugee admissions and processing.
Sec. 7. International cooperation.
Sec. 8. Report to Congress.
Sec. 9. Vulnerable populations in Iraq defined.

SEC. 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 over 2,700,000 
        internally displaced people (IDPs) in Iraq, many lacking 
        adequate food, shelter, and other basic services.
            (3) The security situation in several locations 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 Iraq Study group predicted that ``[a] humanitarian 
        catastrophe could follow as more refugees are forced to 
        relocate across the country and the region.''.
            (5) 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.
            (6) Many Iraqis have put their lives and those of their 
        families at risk by working for the United States Government, 
        United States corporations, the United States media, and 
        nongovernmental organizations.
            (7) Since March 2003, the United States has resettled fewer 
        than 8,000 Iraqi refugees, while Jordan and Syria have provided 
        temporary asylum to 2,000,000, and other countries neighboring 
        Iraq have received tens of thousands more.
            (8) Since March 2003, Sweden has accepted 40,000 Iraqi 
        refugees, and Denmark evacuated and resettled 370 Iraqi 
        interpreters and other Iraqis who worked for Danish troops 
        prior to the Danish contingent's departure from Iraq last year.
            (9) Current United States policies governing the processing 
        of refugees constrain United States Government agencies from 
        expediting the screening processes and increasing the number of 
        Iraqis 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) While Iraqi refugees and IDPs are disproportionately 
        made up of vulnerable populations, many other segments of the 
        Iraqi population at large are also vulnerable.
            (12) Increasing poverty and despair among displaced 
        populations may provide fertile ground for extremist ideologies 
        to take root and possible recruitment by extremist groups.
            (13) The humanitarian crisis in Iraq and neighboring 
        countries threatens to destabilize the entire region.
            (14) United States policy is to admit at least half of the 
        refugees referred by the UNHCR. In 2007, the UNHCR referred 
        more than 10,000 cases to the United States, and the United 
        States resettled 1,608 Iraqi refugees. The United States has 
        pledged to admit 12,000 Iraqi refugees in 2008.
            (15) In 2008, the Government of Iraq has dedicated $18 
        million to its Ministry of Displaced and Immigration and 
        offered $25 million to neighboring countries hosting Iraqi 
        refugees, even as the Government of Iraq is predicting it will 
        likely generate more than $32 billion in oil revenues in 2008 
        alone.
            (16) The United States has yet to disclose a long-term 
        comprehensive strategy to address this humanitarian and 
        security crisis.

SEC. 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 and be addressed at the highest levels of 
        Government;
            (2) it is in the United States' humanitarian and national 
        interests to demonstrate its commitment to resettle Iraqi 
        refugees and IDPs 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.

SEC. 4. STATEMENTS OF POLICY.

    The following shall be the policies of the United States:
            (1) To lead an initiative to provide for the relief of 
        vulnerable populations in Iraq, including IDPs, and Iraqi 
        refugees in neighboring countries and to take the lead in 
        funding assistance requests from the UNHCR, other humanitarian 
        agencies, and international organizations by funding at levels 
        well above the traditional United States share, and to assist 
        in the resettlement of Iraqi refugees.
            (2) To develop immediately a long-term comprehensive 
        strategy for Iraq in coordination with the Government of Iraq 
        and host countries, the United Nations, and nongovernmental 
        organizations to meet the humanitarian and security needs of 
        Iraqi refugees and IDPs and to establish within the Executive 
        Office of the President a Special Coordinator for Iraqi 
        Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons to ensure expeditious 
        and effective implementation of such a strategy.
            (3) To work with the Government of Iraq, the United 
        Nations, and nongovernmental organizations to help the 
        Government of Iraq improve its capacity and ability to provide 
        relief for IDPs and other vulnerable populations in all 
        communities throughout Iraq 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, international and indigenous 
        nongovernmental organizations, and other international 
        organizations to assist in providing for the emergency, medium-
        , and long-term humanitarian needs of vulnerable populations in 
        Iraq, including IDPs, and Iraqi refugees in neighboring 
        countries.

SEC. 5. HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE FOR VULNERABLE POPULATIONS IN IRAQ, 
              IDPS, AND IRAQI REFUGEES.

    (a) In General.--With respect to vulnerable populations in Iraq, 
including IDPs, and with respect to each country containing a 
significant population of Iraqi refugees, including Jordan, Syria, 
Turkey, Lebanon, Egypt, and Iran, the Secretary of State shall provide 
bilateral assistance to such countries, as appropriate under United 
States law, or funding to international 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 protection.
    (b) Assistance and Funding.--Assistance and funding under 
subsection (a) 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 and other 
        international organizations providing humanitarian assistance 
        to vulnerable populations in Iraq, including IDPs, and to Iraqi 
        refugees in neighboring countries, for 2008, 2009, and 2010 for 
        aid to Iraqi refugees and IDPs;
            (2) contributions to the International Federation of the 
        Red Cross and Red Crescent, other nongovernmental 
        organizations, and other international organizations working in 
        such countries to provide aid to vulnerable populations in 
        Iraq, including IDPs, and to Iraqi refugees in neighboring 
        countries; and
            (3) technical assistance to relevant ministries of the 
        Government of Iraq, contingent on substantially increased 
        Government of Iraq funding of assistance programs for 
        vulnerable populations in Iraq, including IDPs, and for Iraqi 
        refugees in neighboring countries, together with appropriate 
        monitoring mechanisms.
    (c) Special Provisions Relating to Vulnerable Populations, IDPs, 
and Iraqi Refugees.--The Secretary of State shall make every effort to 
ensure that the humanitarian needs of vulnerable populations in Iraq, 
including IDPs, and Iraqi refugees in neighboring countries are met, 
including increased resources to improve the registration capabilities 
of nongovernmental organizations for such vulnerable populations, 
including IDPs, and such refugees, adequate food, shelter, clean 
drinking water, sanitation, health care, education, and protection.
    (d) Authorizations of Appropriations.--
            (1) In general.--There is authorized to be appropriated 
        $700,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2009, 2010, and 2011 to 
        carry out this section. Amounts appropriated pursuant to this 
        authorization shall be in addition to amounts otherwise 
        available for such purposes.
            (2) For jordan.--
                    (A) In general.--In addition to amounts authorized 
                to be appropriated pursuant to subsection (d)(1), there 
                is authorized to be appropriated $500,000,000 for 
                fiscal year 2009 to Jordan to provide humanitarian 
                assistance to Iraqi refugees and to provide the 
                necessary infrastructure to support both the needs of 
                Iraqi refugees and the Jordanian people, such as for 
                housing, educational facilities, health clinics, 
                improved access to water resources and sanitation 
                facilities and related social services.
                    (B) Cooperation and monitoring.--In cooperation 
                with the Government of Jordan, appropriate monitoring 
                and transparency mechanisms shall be established to 
                ensure that funds appropriated pursuant to subparagraph 
                (A) are being effectively administered.

SEC. 6. IRAQI REFUGEE ADMISSIONS AND PROCESSING.

    (a) Numerical Limitations.--In addition to the numerical 
limitations provided for under subsections (a) and (b) of section 207 
of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1157), the number of 
refugees who may be admitted during fiscal years 2009, 2010, and 2011 
under subsection (c) of such section shall be increased by not fewer 
than 20,000 for the purpose of admitting refugees who--
            (1) are citizens or nationals of Iraq; and
            (2) became refugees on or after March 19, 2003.
    (b) Processing Personnel Increase.--By not later than September 30, 
2009, the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Secretary of 
Homeland Security, shall, subject to the availability of appropriations 
for such purpose, have increased by 100 percent the number of Federal 
personnel in Iraq (and in other countries in the region, where 
appropriate) who are conducting security reviews of Iraqis who have 
applied for admission to the United States as refugees above the number 
of such personnel conducting such reviews on the date of the enactment 
of this Act.
    (c) Authorization.--There are authorized to be appropriated to 
carry out this section such sums as may be necessary for fiscal years 
2009 through 2011.

SEC. 7. 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 Gulf Cooperation 
Council, the Arab League, the Organization of American States, the 
Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and others to establish 
mechanisms to provide--
            (1) financial assistance to vulnerable populations in Iraq, 
        including IDPs, and to Iraqi refugees in neighboring countries 
        through bilateral assistance to host governments or through 
        international organizations that are working directly with such 
        populations, including IDPs, and such refugees;
            (2) technical and financial assistance to international 
        organizations in order to process refugees; and
            (3) increased attention to and advocacy on behalf of 
        vulnerable populations in Iraq, including IDPs, and Iraqi 
        refugees in neighboring countries by continuing to strongly 
        support the work of United Nations agencies and international 
        organizations providing protection and assistance.

SEC. 8. 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 and the 
Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit to the Committee on Foreign 
Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign 
Relations of the Senate a report regarding implementation of this Act, 
including--
            (1) information concerning assistance and funding to host 
        countries and international organizations and nongovernmental 
        organizations pursuant to section 5, and accountability reports 
        regarding how such funds are being expended;
            (2) information concerning measures taken by the United 
        States to increase its capabilities to process Iraqi IDPs and 
        refugees for resettlement and the number of those IDPs and 
        refugees resettled under section 6;
            (3) an evaluation of the effectiveness of measures 
        implemented by agencies of the Government of Iraq to provide 
        direct assistance to vulnerable populations in Iraq, including 
        IDPs, and Iraqi refugees in neighboring countries; and
            (4) information concerning progress on the implementation 
        of the long-term comprehensive strategy described in section 
        4(2).

SEC. 9. VULNERABLE POPULATIONS IN IRAQ DEFINED.

    In this Act, the term ``vulnerable populations in Iraq'' includes 
Iraqis from ethnically mixed families, women at risk, unaccompanied 
children and adolescents, the elderly, Iraqis with serious medical 
needs, survivors of violence or torture, Iraqis who are members of 
religious or other minority groups, including Chaldo Assyrian 
Christians, Sabian Mandaens, Yazidis, Jews, and Baha'is, and any other 
group determined to vulnerable by the Secretary of State in 
consultation with the UNHCR.
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