[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 162 (Friday, December 16, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Pages S13788-S13789]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
By Mr. OBAMA (for himself, Mr. Brownback, Mr. Durbin, and Mr.
DeWine):
S. 2125. A bill to promote relief, security, and democracy in the
Democratic Republic of the Congo; to the Committee on Foreign
Relations.
Mr. OBAMA. Mr. President, I rise today, on behalf of Senator
Brownback, Senator Durbin, and Senator DeWine to introduce the
Democratic Republic of the Congo Relief, Security and Democracy
Promotion Act.
As we try to conclude our business for the year here in the Senate,
we are in the midst of sharp debates on a large number of issues. In
the foreign policy arena alone, the Administration and Congress are
consumed with nurturing a political process and defeating insurgents in
Iraq, attempting to halt proliferation by Iran and North Korea, and
trying to end the bloodshed in Darfur, Sudan.
But there is another country embroiled in conflict that has not yet
received the high-level attention or resources it needs. It's the
Democratic Republic of Congo, and right now it is in the midst of a
humanitarian catastrophe.
An International Rescue Committee report from 2004 found that 31,000
people were dying in the Congo each month and 3.8 million--3.8
million--people had died in the previous 6 years. This means that this
conflict, which still smolders and burns in some regions, has cost more
lives than any other conflict since World War II.
Beyond the humanitarian catastrophe, resolving the problems in the
Congo will be critical if Africa is to achieve its promise. The
country, which is the size of Western Europe, lies at the geographic
heart of Africa and borders every major region across the continent. If
left untended, Congo's tragedy will continue to infect Africa--from
North to South; from East to West.
I believe that the United States can make a profound difference in
this crisis. According to international aid agencies, there are
innumerable cost-effective interventions that could be quickly
undertaken--such as the provision of basic medical care, immunization
and clean water--that could save thousands of lives. On the political
front, sustained U.S. leadership could fill a perilous vacuum.
The bill that we are introducing here today is an important step on
the long road towards bringing peace and prosperity to the Congo. I am
proud to be a part of a collaborative, bipartisan effort with some of
the Senate's leading voices on Africa--Senators Brownback, Durbin and
DeWine.
This bill establishes 14 core principles of U.S. policy across a
range of issues; authorizes a 25 percent increase in U.S. assistance
for the Democratic Republic of the Congo; calls for a Special Envoy to
resolve the situation in Eastern Congo; and urges the Administration to
use its voice and vote at the
[[Page S13789]]
United Nations Security Council to strengthen the U.N. peacekeeping
force that is providing security in parts of the Congo.
The legislation has been endorsed by a number of faith-based and
humanitarian nongovernmental organizations, including some with
extensive field operations in Congo: CARE, Catholic Relief Services,
Global Witness, International Crisis Group, International Rescue
Committee, and Oxfam America. I ask unanimous consent that these
letters of support be printed in the Record.
I want to stress something before closing. We are under no illusion
that enacting the policies in this bill would be a panacea for Congo's
many ills. But the one thing we do know is that the one way to ensure
that a complex problem will not be resolved is to accept the status
quo.
The other thing we know is that status quo in the Democratic Republic
of Congo is unacceptable--unacceptable to the women and children caught
up in the crossfire, unacceptable to the civilians being felled by
preventable disease, unacceptable to a continent that is making great
strides, and unacceptable to our country, the United States, which has
the financial and diplomatic resources to make a profound difference.
I look forward to working with my colleagues and the administration
to enacting this bill and working to promote peace and prosperity in
the Congo.
There being no objection, the letters were ordered to be printed in
the Record, as follows:
Catholic Relief Services,
Baltimore, MD, December 2, 2005.
Hon. Barack Obama,
U.S. Senate, Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, DC.
Dear Senator Obama: Catholic Relief Services would like to
commend you for your leadership in writing in ``Democratic
Republic of the Congo Relief, Security, and Democracy
Promotion Act of 2005''. We also want to sincerely thank you
and your staff for giving us the opportunity to comment on an
early draft of the bill and for incorporating some of our
recommendations.
As an agency active on the ground in the Democratic
Republic of the Congo (DRC) for many years, we support this
legislation as a vehicle for elevating the priority of the
DRC among lawmakers and policy makers. The bill advances key
U.S. policy objectives for promoting peace, justice,
democracy, and development in the DRC, and also allocates
much-needed additional funds for the DRC.
We look forward to working with you and your staff to gain
support for the bill and advance its goals.
Sincerely,
Ken Hackett,
President.
____
December 9, 2005.
Hon. Barack Obama,
Senate Hart Building,
Washington, DC.
Dear Senator Obama: As representatives of humanitarian,
civil society and conflict prevention organizations, we are
writing to express our support for the Democratic Republic of
the Congo Relief, Security, and Democracy Promotion Act of
2005, and our appreciation of your efforts to ensure that the
longstanding conflict in the region receives the attention it
demands.
As stated in the legislation, the conflict in the eastern
Democratic Republic of the Congo touches every major region
of the continent and is one of the deadliest since World War
II. Some 3.8 million people have lost their lives due to the
conflict in the last six years.
Despite these troubling statistics, the DRC is not without
hope. Landmark elections are planned for next year and, with
strong support from the international community, they have
the potential to help end the longstanding violence and put
the country on the path toward peace and stability. Your
legislation would ensure the active participation of the
United States and authorizes critical funding to address
humanitarian and development needs, promote good governance
and rule of law, and help ensure transparent management of
natural resource revenues.
We look forward to continuing work with you and your staff
on this important issue and in particular, would like to note
the effort Mr. Mark Lippert has made to reach out to our
community and incorporate our recommendations.
Sincerely,
CARE USA,
Global Witness, International Rescue
Committee, Oxfam America.
____
International Crisis Group,
Washington, DC, December 8, 2005.
Senator Barack Obama,
U.S. Senate, Hart Senate Office Building, Washington DC.
Dear Senator Obama: The International Crisis Group strongly
supports the Democratic Republic of Congo Relief, Security,
and Democracy Promotion Act of 2005 and your efforts to raise
the visibility of and define new policies to respond to this
largely overlooked, longstanding, and deadly conflict.
The conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo has had
far reaching regional consequences and resulted in the loss
of an estimated 4 million lives since 1998. The situation in
the country, especially in the eastern region where armed
groups continue to assault local communities, remains most
precarious and in need of urgent action.
The country is now on the brink of landmark elections
scheduled for next year. Crisis Group has advocated
comprehensive action to stop the suffering of the Congolese
people and ensure the success of the transition by June 2006.
Your legislation would ensure the active participation of
the United States in this effort and help in promoting good
governance and justice. It would further authorize critical
funding to address development needs and provide life-saving
humanitarian assistance to millions of conflict-affected
civilians in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Your leadership in introducing this legislation is greatly
appreciated and we look forward to continue to work with you
and your staff on this important issue.
Yours sincerely,
Mark L. Schneider,
Senior Vice President, International
Crisis Group.
______