[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 526 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. RES. 526
Reaffirming the importance of the United States promoting the safety,
health, and well-being of refugees and displaced persons in the United
States and around the world.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 20, 2023
Mr. Lieu (for himself, Ms. Wilson of Florida, Ms. Norton, Ms.
Velazquez, Ms. Schakowsky, Mrs. Watson Coleman, Ms. Clarke of New York,
Ms. Lee of California, Mr. Trone, Ms. Tlaib, Mr. Pocan, Ms. Omar, Ms.
Crockett, Mr. Cardenas, Mr. Thanedar, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Ms.
Jayapal, Mr. Connolly, Mr. Mullin, Mr. Espaillat, Mr. Robert Garcia of
California, Ms. DelBene, Mr. Cleaver, Mr. Peters, Ms. McCollum, Ms.
Bonamici, Ms. Tokuda, Mr. Carbajal, Mr. McGovern, Ms. Leger Fernandez,
Ms. Williams of Georgia, Ms. Lee of Pennsylvania, Mr. Nadler, Ms.
Jackson Lee, Mr. Evans, Mr. Cohen, Ms. Barragan, Ms. Garcia of Texas,
Mr. Green of Texas, Mr. Smith of Washington, Mr. Blumenauer, Mrs.
McClellan, Ms. Balint, Mr. Vicente Gonzalez of Texas, Mrs. Cherfilus-
McCormick, Mrs. Foushee, Mr. Garcia of Illinois, Ms. Jacobs, Mr.
Carson, Ms. Escobar, Mr. Khanna, Mr. Grijalva, Mr. Soto, and Mrs.
Torres of California) submitted the following resolution; 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
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Reaffirming the importance of the United States promoting the safety,
health, and well-being of refugees and displaced persons in the United
States and around the world.
Whereas June 20, 2023, is an international day designated by the United Nations
as ``World Refugee Day,'' to honor refugees around the globe and
celebrate the strength and courage of people who have been forced to
flee their homes to escape conflict or persecution due to their race,
religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular
social group;
Whereas July 28, 2023, is the 72nd anniversary of the adoption of the Convention
relating to the Status of Refugees, done at Geneva July 28, 1951, which
defines the term ``refugee'' and outlines the rights of refugees and the
legal obligations of nation states to protect such rights;
Whereas the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (referred to in this
preamble as ``UNHCR'') has recently reported that--
(1) there are more than 108,000,000 displaced people who have been
forced from their homes worldwide, which is more displaced people than at
any other time in recorded history, including more than 35,200,000 refugees
and 62,500,000 internally displaced persons;
(2) 67 percent of the world's refugees originate from just Syria,
Ukraine, Afghanistan, or Venezuela;
(3) more than 50 percent of the population of Syria (at least
13,000,000 people) have been displaced since the beginning of the Syrian
civil war in 2011, either exiting Syria across the international border or
going to other areas within Syria, and this displacement crisis has been
exacerbated by major earthquakes that struck Turkiye and Syria in early
February 2023;
(4) more than 14,000,000 Ukrainian nationals and other third country
nationals are currently displaced as a result of Russia's ongoing invasion
of Ukraine;
(5) there are an estimated 5,700,000 Afghan refugees around the world,
of whom more than 90 percent are hosted in either Iran or Pakistan, while
an additional 3,500,000 Afghans are internally displaced, having fled their
homes searching for refuge within Afghanistan;
(6) Latin America and the Caribbean currently host 84 percent of the
more than 7,000,000 Venezuelan refugees and migrants globally, and the
Americas currently host approximately 20,000,000 refugees, asylum-seekers,
and stateless people from around the world;
(7) more than 1,800,000 people are currently displaced due to the
ongoing conflict in Sudan, and a large majority of such people are women
and children who are traveling to neighboring countries; and
(8) 76 percent of all refugees worldwide are hosted in low and middle
income countries and fewer than 1 percent of vulnerable refugees in need of
resettlement have had such opportunity due to lack of sufficient
resettlement places;
Whereas welcoming people from around the world who have been oppressed and
persecuted is a central tenet of our great Nation, and the United States
is home to a diverse population of refugees and immigrants who have
added to the economic strengths and cultural richness of our
communities;
Whereas, since seeking asylum is a protected right under United States domestic
and international law, the United States is legally obligated to
contribute to the maintenance of a humane and functioning international
asylum system;
Whereas the principle of non-refoulement is also a central tenet of the United
States refugee and asylum systems, and thousands of people living in the
United States who immigrated from countries around the world would be
subject to harm if they were deported to their countries of origin due
to widespread conflict or persecution in such countries;
Whereas the United States Refugee Admissions Program, which was established in
1980--
(1) is a lifesaving pillar of global humanitarian efforts;
(2) advances United States national security and foreign policy goals;
and
(3) supports regional host countries;
Whereas resettlement is an essential part of a comprehensive strategy to respond
to refugee crises, promote regional stability, and strengthen United
States national security;
Whereas resettlement to the United States is available for the most vulnerable
refugees who undergo rigorous security vetting and medical screening
processes;
Whereas the United States supports the efforts of the UNHCR to increase
protection for, and the global resettlement of, LGBTQI+ refugees
overseas;
Whereas women and girls have an increased risk of sexual violence, exploitation,
and trafficking while they are traveling to seek safe living conditions;
Whereas through the United States Refugee Resettlement Program--
(1) only 11,411 refugees arrived in the United States during fiscal
year 2021, which is the lowest number of refugees for any fiscal year since
the program began;
(2) only 25,465 refugees arrived in the United States during fiscal
year 2022 despite an admissions goal of 125,000; and
(3) as of May 30, 2023, 31,797 refugees had arrived in the United
States during fiscal year 2023;
Whereas resettlement organizations, businesses, and other community and faith-
based groups offer support for refugees who resettle in the United
States;
Whereas, between 2005 and 2014, refugees who have resettled in the United States
contributed an estimated $269,100,000,000 to the national economy, which
far surpasses the $206,100,000,000 spent by the United States to assist
refugees worldwide during such period; and
Whereas most refugees integrate and quickly become self-sufficient by joining
the workforce, paying taxes, supporting local commerce, helping to fill
labor shortages in critical industries, and creating new jobs: Now,
therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) recognizes the urgency to establish and follow
comprehensive, fair, and humane policies to address forced
migration and refugee challenges;
(2) reaffirms the bipartisan commitment of the United
States to promote the safety, health, and well-being of
millions of refugees and asylum seekers, including the
education of refugee children and displaced persons fleeing
war, persecution, or torture in search of protection, peace,
hope, and freedom;
(3) recognizes the many individuals who have risked their
lives working, either individually or on behalf of
nongovernmental organizations or international agencies, such
as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (referred
to in this resolution as ``UNHCR''), to provide lifesaving
assistance and protection for people around the world who have
been displaced from their homes;
(4) reaffirms the imperative to fully restore United States
asylum protections enshrined in the Refugee Act of 1980 (Public
Law 96-212) by rejecting harmful bans and restrictions that
limit refugees' access to protections and due process at the
United States border;
(5) reaffirms the importance of the United States Refugee
Resettlement Program as a critical tool of the United States
Government--
(A) to strengthen national and regional security;
and
(B) to encourage international solidarity with host
countries; and
(6) calls upon the Secretary of State, the Secretary of
Homeland Security, and the United States Ambassador to the
United Nations--
(A) to uphold the United States international
leadership role in responding to displacement crises
with humanitarian assistance, and restoring its
leadership role in the protection of vulnerable refugee
populations that endure gender-based violence, human
trafficking, persecution, and violence against
religious minorities, forced conscription, genocide,
and exploitation;
(B) to work in partnership with the international
community to find solutions to existing conflicts,
prevent new conflicts from emerging, and tackle the
root causes of involuntary migration;
(C) to continue supporting the efforts of the UNHCR
and advance the work of nongovernmental organizations
to protect refugees and asylum seekers regardless of
their country of origin, race, ethnicity, or religious
beliefs;
(D) to continue to alleviate pressures, through
humanitarian and development assistance, on frontline
refugee host countries that absorb the majority of the
world's refugees, while effectively advocating for
refugee well-being, including access to education and
livelihoods;
(E) to meaningfully include refugees and displaced
populations in creating and achieving the policy
solutions affecting them;
(F) to respond to the global refugee crisis by
meeting robust refugee admissions goals;
(G) to actively participate in the Global Refugee
Forum scheduled to take place in Geneva in December
2023 to advance United States goals and gain
commitments from the global community to expand refugee
protection; and
(H) to reaffirm the goals of ``World Refugee Day''
and reiterate the United States strong commitment to
protect refugees and asylum seekers who live without
adequate material, social, or legal protections.
<all>