[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3509 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 3509

   To address the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Iraq and potential 
   security breakdown resulting from the mass displacement of Iraqis 
        inside Iraq and as refugees into neighboring countries.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 17, 2008

 Mr. Casey (for himself and Mr. Cardin) introduced the following bill; 
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To address the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Iraq and potential 
   security breakdown resulting from the mass displacement of Iraqis 
        inside Iraq and as refugees into neighboring countries.

    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 ``Support for Vulnerable and Displaced 
Iraqis Act of 2008''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) Since the beginning of the 2003 war in Iraq, according 
        to countries hosting Iraqi refugees, up to 2,000,000 Iraqis 
        have fled their homes for neighboring countries to avoid 
        sectarian and other violence.
            (2) According to the Office of the United Nations High 
        Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), there are over 2,700,000 
        internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Iraq, and many other 
        vulnerable Iraqis have been unable to flee, many lacking 
        adequate food, shelter, and other basic services.
            (3) The massive flow of Iraqi refugees into neighboring 
        host countries has overwhelmed existing social, economic, and 
        security capacities of such countries. Few Iraqis currently 
        consider return to Iraq an option.
            (4) Increasing poverty and despair among displaced 
        populations may provide fertile ground for possible recruitment 
        by extremist groups.
            (5) The humanitarian crisis in Iraq and its neighbors 
        threatens to undermine stability in the broader region.
            (6) The United States has yet to disclose a long-term 
        comprehensive strategy to address the humanitarian situation of 
        vulnerable Iraqis, especially mass displacement of Iraqis 
        inside Iraq and as refugees into neighboring countries.

SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    It is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) refugees from Iraq and vulnerable Iraqis in Iraq, 
        especially internally displaced persons, will have an impact on 
        the stability of Iraq and the region, and the short- and long-
        term effects and needs of their situation must be considered 
        within the overall Iraq policy of the United States and be 
        addressed at the highest levels of government;
            (2) United States leadership is essential to sustain and 
        expand the response of the international community, including 
        the Government of Iraq, to the humanitarian crisis in Iraq and 
        faced by Iraqi refugees;
            (3) it is critical for the United States to provide strong 
        leadership on funding assistance requests from the UNHCR and 
        other international organizations and nongovernmental 
        organizations providing humanitarian assistance to vulnerable 
        populations in Iraq, including internally displaced persons, 
        and to Iraqi refugees in neighboring countries;
            (4) the United States should develop a long-term, 
        comprehensive humanitarian strategy in coordination with the 
        Government of Iraq, host countries, and other countries in the 
        region, donor governments, inter-governmental organizations, 
        international organizations, and nongovernmental organizations 
        to meet the humanitarian needs of vulnerable Iraqis, especially 
        Iraqi refugees and internally displaced persons, through 
        assistance and resettlement;
            (5) internally displaced Iraqis and Iraqi refugees should 
        only return when they are able to do so safely, voluntarily, 
        and sustainably; and
            (6) the United States should rely on assessments of the 
        UNHCR, which has the mandate from the international community 
        for displaced people, nongovernmental organizations, and 
        displaced Iraqis themselves, in developing a long-term, 
        comprehensive humanitarian strategy to address the crisis 
        facing refugees from Iraq and internally displaced persons in 
        Iraq.

SEC. 4. DEVELOPMENT OF REGIONAL STRATEGY.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of State, in consultation with the 
Administrator of the United States Agency for International 
Development, the Secretary of Defense, and the heads of other Federal 
agencies as appropriate, shall develop a comprehensive regional 
strategy to address the mass displacement of Iraqis inside Iraq and as 
refugees into neighboring countries.
    (b) Content.--The strategy required under subsection (a) shall--
            (1) address the serious challenges facing refugees from 
        Iraq, including--
                    (A) the lack of legal status recognized by host 
                governments and the inability of refugees to work 
                legally;
                    (B) inadequate UNHCR resources to register more 
                refugees from Iraq, assist them in Iraq and host 
                countries, and refer them for resettlement;
                    (C) inadequate UNHCR resources for nongovernmental 
                organizations to assist refugees from Iraq;
                    (D) limited access to education and healthcare;
                    (E) critical food shortages; and
                    (F) inadequate shelter, drinking water, sanitation, 
                and protection;
            (2) address the responsibility of the Government of Iraq to 
        help meet the urgent humanitarian needs of its citizens in Iraq 
        and the region and steps the United States can take to provide 
        support in this area;
            (3) include an assessment of the needs of vulnerable Iraqis 
        in Iraq, especially internally displaced persons and Iraqi 
        refugees in the region, and an estimate of assistance required 
        in order for the United States to help meet these needs, 
        including bilateral assistance and contributions to the Office 
        of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), 
        other international organizations, and nongovernmental 
        organizations providing humanitarian assistance to vulnerable 
        populations in Iraq, including internally displaced persons, 
        and to Iraqi refugees in neighboring countries;
            (4) include the number of refugees from Iraq that the 
        United States plans to admit to and resettle in the United 
        States in order to maintain the traditional United States share 
        of world-wide refugee admissions and resettlement, participate 
        in burden sharing with host countries, and provide a robust 
        response to the protection needs of refugees from Iraq, and 
        provide an explanation and justification for the number;
            (5) include an assessment of what conditions are necessary 
        for the voluntary, safe, sustainable return of displaced 
        Iraqis, relying on the evaluations of the United States High 
        Commissioner for Refugees, nongovernmental organizations, and 
        displaced Iraqis themselves;
            (6) include a description of the steps that the United 
        States Government has taken and will take to engage the 
        international community, including the Government of Iraq, to 
        implement the strategy and the response of the international 
        community to these efforts; and
            (7) include plans to assess the impact of the strategy.

SEC. 5. REPORTS.

    (a) Recommendations.--Not later than April 15, 2009, the 
Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the 
appropriate congressional committees detailed recommendations on steps 
the United States can take to address the humanitarian situation for 
vulnerable Iraqis, especially the mass displacement of Iraqis inside 
Iraq and as refugees into neighboring countries.
    (b) Comprehensive Regional Strategy.--Not later than June 1, 2009, 
the Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate congressional 
committees a detailed description of the comprehensive regional 
strategy required under section 4, as well as proposed timelines and 
budgets for implementing the strategy.
    (c) Annual Report.--Not later than December 31, 2009, and annually 
thereafter until December 31, 2013, the Secretary of State shall submit 
a report to Congress on the needs of vulnerable Iraqis, the 
implementation of the comprehensive regional strategy, and the impact 
of the regional strategy.

SEC. 6. APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES DEFINED.

    In this Act, the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' 
means--
            (1) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on 
        Appropriations of the Senate; and
            (2) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on 
        Appropriations of the House of Representatives.
                                 <all>