[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 258 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 258

 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 SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 20, 2023

Mr. Menendez (for himself, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Booker, Mr. Cardin, Mr. 
Coons, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Fetterman, Mr. Hickenlooper, Ms. 
Hirono, Mr. Kaine, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Markey, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Murphy, 
  Mrs. Murray, Mr. Warnock, Mr. Welch, Mr. Whitehouse, and Mr. Wyden) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
                          on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               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, only 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 Senate--
            (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.
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