[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 46 (Tuesday, April 25, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E585]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              DARFUR PEACE AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT OF 2006

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. BETTY McCOLLUM

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, April 5, 2006

  Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express 
pleasure with the passage of H.R. 3127, the Darfur Peace and 
Accountability Act.
  What is happening in the Darfur region of Sudan is genocide. I have 
visited the region several times over the past couple of years, and 
have had the privilege to meet women and children who have suffered and 
who have survived. Their courage and determination to stay alive--to 
survive--is an inspiration and it humbles me. The atrocities being 
perpetrated against the innocent civilians of Darfur must be condemned 
in the strongest possible terms by this Congress, the Administration, 
and the international community.
  H.R. 3127 attempts to address the dire situation in the Darfur region 
by reaffirming the sanctions already in place against Sudan, and by 
authorizing the President to block the assets and deny the visas of 
those deemed to be responsible for the genocide. It has taken several 
months to come to agreement on a version of the bill that could move 
forward with bipartisan support. This bill is a better bill as a result 
of the discussions that took place, and I am happy to support it.
  During committee consideration, I successfully offered an amendment 
to H.R. 3127 that states that the genocide taking place in Darfur is 
the result of acts of terrorism, and calls on the Secretary of State to 
designate the Government of Sudan-supported janjaweed as a foreign 
terrorist organization. It also calls on the Secretary to maintain 
Sudan's designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism. I am grateful to 
my colleagues on the Subcommittee, and to Chairman Hyde and Ranking 
Member Lantos, for their support of my amendment.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3127 is a good bill but our effort cannot end here. 
By passing this legislation, we send a clear signal to the Government 
of Sudan, and the janjaweed, that the United States remains absolutely 
committed to seeing an end to the violence and genocide taking place in 
Darfur. However, while laws are important, they are merely words if not 
coupled with action--I urge the Administration to act further to stop 
this genocide. The people of Darfur deserve peace, and the Government 
of Sudan and the janjaweed militia deserve to be brought to justice and 
be held accountable for the crime of genocide.

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