[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 121 (Wednesday, July 30, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Page S5146]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   SENATE RESOLUTION 530--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE ON THE 
  CURRENT SITUATION IN IRAQ AND THE URGENT NEED TO PROTECT RELIGIOUS 
   MINORITIES FROM PERSECUTION FROM THE SUNNI ISLAMIST INSURGENT AND 
TERRORIST GROUP THE ISLAMIC STATE, FORMERLY KNOWN AS THE ISLAMIC STATE 
OF IRAQ AND THE LEVANT (ISIL), AS IT EXPANDS ITS CONTROL OVER AREAS IN 
                           NORTHWESTERN IRAQ

  Mr. PORTMAN (for himself, Mr. Alexander, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Barrasso, 
Mr. Blunt, Mr. Boozman, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Chambliss, Ms. 
Collins, Mr. Crapo, Mr. Enzi, Mrs. Fischer, Mr. Grassley, Mr. Heller, 
Mr. Hoeven, Mr. Inhofe, Mr. Isakson, Mr. Johanns, Mr. Kirk, Ms. 
Klobuchar, Ms. Landrieu, Mr. Lee, Mr. Levin, Mr. Manchin, Mr. Markey, 
Mr. McCain, Mr. Moran, Mr. Risch, Mr. Johnson of Wisconsin, Mr. Rubio, 
Mr. Sessions, Mrs. Shaheen, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. Thune, Mr. Wicker, Mr. 
Hatch, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Vitter, and Ms. Ayotte) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations:

                              S. Res. 530

       Whereas Iraq is currently embroiled in a surge of violence 
     arising from an Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL)-
     led offensive that began in Anbar province and has spread to 
     key locations such as Mosul, Tikrit, and Samarra and 
     continues to engulf the region in violence and instability;
       Whereas, on June 29, 2014, ISIL leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi 
     renamed the group the Islamic State and pronounced himself 
     Caliph of a new Islamic Caliphate encompassing the areas 
     under his control, and Mr. al-Baghdadi has a stated mission 
     of spreading the Islamic State and caliphate across the 
     region through violence against Shiites, non-Muslims, and 
     unsupportive Sunnis;
       Whereas Iraq's population is approximately 31,300,000 
     people, with 97 percent identifying themselves as Muslim and 
     the approximately 3 percent of religious minorities groups 
     comprising of Christians, Yezidis, Sabean-Mandaeans, Bahais, 
     Shabaks, Kakais, and Jews;
       Whereas the Iraqi Christian population is estimated to be 
     between 400,000 and 850,000, with two-thirds being Chaldean, 
     one-fifth Assyrian, and the remainder consisting of Syriacs, 
     Protestants, Armenians, and Anglicans;
       Whereas the Iraqi constitution provides for religious 
     freedom by stating that ``no law may be enacted that 
     contradicts the principles of democracy,'' ``no law may be 
     enacted that contradicts the rights and basic freedoms 
     stipulated in this Constitution,'' and ``[this Constitution] 
     guarantees the full religious rights to freedom of religious 
     belief and practice of all individuals such as Christians, 
     Yazidis, and Mandean Sabeans'';
       Whereas over 1,000,000 people have been displaced by 
     violence in Iraq, and reports have surfaced of targeted 
     harassment, persecution, and killings of Iraqi religious 
     minorities by the Islamic State with little to no protection 
     from the Government of Iraq and other security forces;
       Whereas the fall of Mosul in particular has sparked enough 
     anxiety among the Christian population that, for the first 
     time in 1,600 years, there was no Mass in that city;
       Whereas over 50 percent of Iraq's Christian population has 
     fled since the fall of Saddam Hussein, and the government 
     under Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has not upheld its 
     commitment to protect the rights of religious minorities;
       Whereas the United States Government has provided over 
     $73,000,000 of cumulative assistance to Iraq's minority 
     populations since 2003 through economic development, 
     humanitarian services, and capacity development;
       Whereas 84,902 Iraqis have resettled to the United States 
     between 2007 and 2013 and over 300,000 Chaldean and Assyrians 
     currently reside throughout the country, particularly in 
     Michigan, California, Arizona, Illinois, and Ohio; and
       Whereas President Barack Obama recently declared on 
     Religious Freedom Day, ``Foremost among the rights Americans 
     hold sacred is the freedom to worship as we choose . . . we 
     also remember that religious liberty is not just an American 
     right; it is a universal human right to be protected here at 
     home and across the globe. This freedom is an essential part 
     of human dignity, and without it our world cannot know 
     lasting peace'': Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) reaffirms its commitment to promoting and protecting 
     religious freedom around the world and providing relief to 
     minority groups facing persecution;
       (2) calls on the Department of State to work with the 
     Kurdistan Regional Government, the Government of Iraq, 
     neighboring countries, the diaspora community in the United 
     States, and other key stakeholders to help secure safe havens 
     for those seeking safety and protection from religious 
     persecution in Iraq;
       (3) respectfully requests the addition of a Special 
     Representative for Religious Minorities to be included in 
     Iraq's government; and
       (4) urges the President to ensure the timely processing of 
     visas for Iraq's minority groups fleeing religious 
     persecution, in accordance with existing United States 
     immigration law and national security screening procedures.

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