[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 896 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 896

  Condemning Boko Haram and calling on the Governments of the United 
 States of America and Nigeria to swiftly implement measures to defeat 
                      the terrorist organization.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 15, 2018

Ms. Wilson of Florida (for herself, Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas, 
  Mrs. Lawrence, Mr. Cicilline, Mr. Carson of Indiana, Mr. Johnson of 
 Georgia, and Mr. Cohen) submitted the following resolution; which was 
 referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the 
Committee on Armed Services, 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

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Condemning Boko Haram and calling on the Governments of the United 
 States of America and Nigeria to swiftly implement measures to defeat 
                      the terrorist organization.

Whereas Boko Haram is a Nigeria-based militant group with links to al Qaeda in 
        the Islamic Maghreb and the so-called Islamic State;
Whereas Boko Haram is responsible for tens of thousands of deaths, including the 
        targeted killings of civilians, in northeast and central Nigeria over 
        the last several years, and, according to the United Nations High 
        Commissioner for Refugees, has caused the displacement of 2,400,000 
        people in Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, and Niger;
Whereas the Department of State designated Boko Haram a Foreign Terrorist 
        Organization in 2013 and supports efforts to defeat Boko Haram with 
        security and development tools;
Whereas Boko Haram rejects modern education and science, is engaged in an armed 
        revolt against the Government of Nigeria, has carried out vicious 
        campaigns of violence, including suicide bombings, against schools, 
        public institutions, law enforcement, and civilians;
Whereas, since 2012, Boko Haram has conducted brutal mass kidnappings of women, 
        girls, and boys and has abducted thousands of women and girls from 
        schools and markets, during raids on villages and houses, and on public 
        transportation;
Whereas Boko Haram continues its campaign of mass and systematic brutality 
        against the people of Nigeria and the greater Lake Chad Basin;
Whereas, on April 14, 2014, Boko Haram militants attacked a boarding school in 
        Chibok in Borno state, where girls from surrounding areas had gone to 
        take final exams;
Whereas the Boko Haram terrorists arrived in Chibok late at night, firing their 
        guns indiscriminately and burning down houses, raided the dormitories, 
        and kidnapped 276 girls aged 12 to 17;
Whereas 57 girls escaped by jumping off the kidnappers' trucks as they were 
        driving away or running into the forest;
Whereas the 219 kidnapped girls were held captive, abused, made to be slaves, 
        forced into marriage with their abductors, repeatedly raped, starved, 
        and, in some cases, forcibly converted to Islam;
Whereas the international community, including the United Nations Secretary-
        General and the United Nations Security Council, condemned the abduction 
        and called for the immediate release of the girls;
Whereas Boko Haram ruthlessly killed some of the kidnapped girls for trying to 
        escape, and some girls died during childbirth;
Whereas thousands of women, girls, and boys kidnapped by Boko Haram have endured 
        similar horrific experiences;
Whereas the parents of the kidnapped girls and concerned citizens banded 
        together and embarked upon a global awareness campaign to urge the 
        rescue of the girls, using the Twitter hashtag #BringBackOurGirls, 
        through which over 3,300,000 people around the world expressed their 
        outrage at the abduction and continue maintaining a vigil for the girls' 
        return;
Whereas the United States Government sent advisors to Nigeria and supplied 
        surveillance and reconnaissance to help rescue the girls;
Whereas 21 girls were released in October 2016, 82 girls were released in May 
        2017, and four years since their abduction, over 100 girls distressingly 
        still remain in captivity and are subjected to deplorable abuses as 
        recounted by the returnees;
Whereas many of the returned girls are being kept in a government facility in 
        Abuja away from their families;
Whereas the scourge of Boko Haram continues to menace the population of the Lake 
        Chad Basin area, including northern Nigeria;
Whereas, on February 19, 2018, Boko Haram militants stormed the town of Dapchi 
        and abducted 110 girls from the Government Girls Science and Technical 
        School and two other children;
Whereas 106 of the children from the Dapchi kidnapping have been released and 
        five are presumed to have perished;
Whereas Leah Sharibu remains a hostage because she refuses to convert to Islam;
Whereas the Government of Nigeria said Boko Haram had been defeated in 2015, but 
        the terrorist organization continues to mount attacks against civilians, 
        schools, and security forces;
Whereas the United States Government has provided assistance for several years 
        for women and girls targeted by Boko Haram and individuals displaced by 
        Boko Haram violence, as well as to combat Boko Haram;
Whereas educating girls transforms societies for the better by giving girls the 
        knowledge and tools to make positive decisions about their futures, live 
        healthier lives, provide nurturing environments for their families, and 
        play active roles in their communities and economies;
Whereas the United States Government has provided significant financial 
        assistance in recent years to support women and girls who are at risk 
        from extremism and conflict;
Whereas child and forced marriage is a human rights abuse;
Whereas the United States Government has appropriated $11,000,000 in both fiscal 
        years 2017 and 2018 for programs to combat child marriage;
Whereas in section 2 of the Women, Peace, and Security Act of 2017 (Public Law 
        115-68; 131 Stat. 1202), Congress found that ``women in conflict-
        affected regions have achieved significant success in . . . moderating 
        violent extremism . . . and stabilizing societies by enhancing the 
        effectiveness of security services, peacekeeping efforts, institutions, 
        and decision-making processes'';
Whereas in section 1(c) of Public Law 114-266 (130 Stat. 1383), Congress found 
        that ``lack of economic opportunity and access to education, justice, 
        and other social services contributes to the ability of Boko Haram to 
        radicalize and recruit individuals''; and
Whereas section 4 of the Women, Peace, and Security Act of 2017 (22 U.S.C. 
        2152j) states that ``[i]t shall be the policy of the United States to 
        promote the meaningful participation of women in all aspects of overseas 
        conflict prevention, management, and resolution, and post-conflict 
        relief and recovery efforts'': Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) recognizes the tragic fourth anniversary of the Chibok 
        girls kidnapping and calls for the immediate release of all 
        Boko Haram captives, especially the remaining Chibok girls and 
        Leah Sharibu;
            (2) applauds the extraordinary bravery of survivors of Boko 
        Haram, who continue to come forward to share their stories and 
        experiences at great risk to themselves;
            (3) deplores Boko Haram for its destabilizing activities 
        and extremist violence;
            (4) acknowledges the efforts of the United States 
        Government to defeat Boko Haram through development and 
        security partnerships with Nigeria and other regional partners, 
        and calls on the Department of State and the Department of 
        Defense to rapidly implement the five-year regional strategy to 
        address the grievous threat posed by Boko Haram and other 
        violent extremist organizations;
            (5) furthermore requests that the Department of State and 
        the United States Agency for International Development create a 
        plan to address the needs of women and girls adversely impacted 
        by extremism and conflict as required by section 7059(e)(2) of 
        the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related 
        Programs Appropriations Act, 2017 (division J of Public Law 
        115-31; 131 Stat. 699);
            (6) commends the swift enactment of the Women, Peace, and 
        Security Act of 2017 (Public Law 115-68), and encourages the 
        President to release the Women, Peace, and Security Strategy by 
        October 2018, as required by section 5 of the Women, Peace, and 
        Security Act of 2017 (22 U.S.C. 2152j-1);
            (7) acknowledges the actions of the Government of Nigeria 
        to combat Boko Haram, and encourages it to--
                    (A) provide the necessary counseling and support to 
                those abducted by Boko Haram;
                    (B) allow returned women and girls to be reunited 
                with their families when appropriate;
                    (C) appropriately channel the announced 
                $1,000,000,000 assistance from the Excess Crude Account 
                to humanitarian assistance, development, education, and 
                deradicalization programs; and
                    (D) accept international assistance in a timely 
                manner when offered; and
            (8) encourages continued cooperation between the 
        Governments of the United States and Nigeria to defeat the 
        violent extremist organization Boko Haram.
                                 <all>