[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 24 (Wednesday, February 24, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E221]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ON RELIGIOUS 
                           MINORITIES IN IRAQ

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. JOHN CONYERS, JR.

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 23, 2010

  Mr. CONYERS. Madam Speaker, today I rise in strong support of H. Res. 
944, expressing the sense of the House of Representatives on religious 
minorities in Iraq. Today's resolution highlights the struggles of 
Iraqi minorities since the invasion of Iraq in 2003 and offers 
solutions for peaceful reconciliation for the Iraqi people.
  Madam Speaker, Southeast Michigan has one of the largest Arab-
American populations outside the Middle East. It is estimated that 
there are well over 300,000 in Michigan, many of whom are Iraqi-
American and are concerned on the future of Iraq. Specifically, the 
bill calls on the United States and United Nations to urge the Iraqi 
government to provide religious minorities with safe places of worship, 
guarantee protection of religious minorities, and ensure legal and 
political rights of this vulnerable population. This is vital because 
many of the more than 2.7 million Iraqi refugees are religious 
minorities.
  Today's resolution will compliment President Obama's commendable plan 
to withdraw from Iraq in the summer of 2011. While withdrawal will do 
much to stabilize and empower the sovereign nation of Iraq, it is also 
important that the United States do its part to actively assist the 
Iraqi people in establishing policies that protect the civil rights and 
liberties of all Iraqi citizens.

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