[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 153 (Thursday, September 25, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Page S9480]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            SUPPORT FOR VULNERABLE AND DISPLACED IRAQIS ACT

  Mr. CASEY. Mr. President, I rise today to highlight a bill my 
distinguished colleague, Senator Cardin of Maryland and I introduced 
last week. S. 3509 addresses the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Iraq 
and potential security breakdown resulting from the mass displacement 
of Iraqis inside Iraq and as refugees into neighboring countries.
  If passed, this bill will help the United States address the needs of 
millions of Iraqis who have been forced to flee from their homes. The 
heart of the bill requires the Secretary of State to develop a 
comprehensive regional strategy to address this humanitarian crisis. 
Senator Cardin and I are joined in this effort by our colleagues, 
Senators Bingaman and Voinovich, who have cosponsored the bill.
  Unfortunately, we were not able to reach agreement to have this 
legislation placed on the Foreign Relations Committee business agenda 
this week. We may not have enough time left this year to bring this 
bill to the floor. I hope that is not the case--and if so, it is my 
hope that the State Department recognizes the need to formulate a 
strategy and take prompt action itself.
  It has been 5 years since the fall of Baghdad, and although this 
administration refuses to acknowledge it, Iraq and her neighbors are in 
the midst of a humanitarian crisis that threatens to undermine the 
stability of the Middle East. Wherever one stands on the future of the 
U.S. combat presence in Iraq, we have a moral responsibility to those 
innocent Iraqis who have been driven from their homes and fear for 
their lives and their children's lives every day.
  As I noted during my floor statement marking World Refugee Day this 
past June, Iraqis are now one of the largest displaced populations in 
the world. According to host countries hosting Iraqi refugees, up to 2 
million Iraqis have fled their homes for neighboring country in order 
to avoid sectarian and other violence. According to the U.N. High 
Commissioner for Refugees, UNHCR, there are over 2.7 million internally 
displaced persons in Iraq.
  Iraqi refugees are overwhelming the basic infrastructure of Iraq's 
neighbors, especially in Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon. This raises 
troubling concerns about the region's stability and shifting sectarian 
balances. No one in the region, and I must stress this, no one 
including host countries and refugees themselves expect Iraqi refugees 
to return anytime soon. This means we will be dealing with the exodus 
of displaced Iraqis for some time to come. Despite this 
administration's position that security conditions are improving in 
Iraq and life is normalizing, there are no signs of imminent return.
  I saw firsthand the humanitarian and security implications of this 
crisis during my trip to the region last year. Beyond the obvious 
humanitarian and moral dimensions, this crisis has grave implications 
for our national security interests in the Middle East.
  We often talk about our military surge in Iraq. What has been missing 
for far too long now has been our humanitarian surge to address basic 
needs--access to food, health care, shelter, drinking water, and 
education. This needs to be at the heart of any campaign to win 
``hearts and minds.'' Strong U.S. leadership is critical in bringing 
the Iraqi Government, regional neighbors, and the international 
community to the table to discuss and implement concrete measures.
  To date, Congress has not passed any comprehensive legislation 
addressing this humanitarian crisis. My bill, S. 3509, would prompt the 
next administration to act quickly and make the displacement of 
millions of Iraqis an urgent foreign policy priority. The heart of the 
bill requires the Secretary of State to develop a comprehensive 
regional strategy that addresses the mass displacement of Iraqis. The 
strategy would: address the serious challenges facing Iraqi refugees; 
address the responsibility of the Iraqi Government to help meet the 
urgent needs of its citizens in the region; include an assessment of 
how much assistance is needed to help meet these needs; include an 
assessment of what conditions are necessary for the voluntary, safe, 
sustainable return of displaced Iraqis; include a description of the 
steps the U.S. Government has taken and will take to engage the 
international community to implement the strategy; and include plans to 
assess the impact of the strategy.
  S. 3509 also includes reporting requirements from the State 
Department and the Government Accountability Office so that Congress is 
informed on how the administration is moving forward on the Iraqi 
humanitarian crisis.
  Mr. President, I believe this bill will help define a roadmap for the 
United States and the international community on how we are meeting our 
basic obligations towards helping vulnerable Iraqis displaced as a 
result of the 2003 war. It will once again promote responsible American 
leadership abroad.
  I want to thank the following groups who have supported S. 3509 thus 
far:
  America's Development Foundation; Campaign for Innocent Victims in 
conflict, CIVIC; CARE; Catholic Relief Services; CHF International; 
Church World Service, Immigration and Refugee Program; EPIC: Promoting 
a Free & Secure Iraq; Friends Committee on National Legislation; 
International Medical Corps; International Relief and Development; 
International Rescue Committee; Leadership Conference of Women 
Religious; Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns; Mercy Corps; NETWORK; 
Presbyterian Church, USA, Washington Office; Refugees International; 
Save the Children; U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants; and U.S. 
Conference of Catholic Bishops.

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