[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 51 (Tuesday, March 17, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1779-S1780]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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   SENATE RESOLUTION 545--COMMEMORATING MARCH 17, 2020, AS THE 40TH 
 ANNIVERSARY OF THE REFUGEE ACT OF 1980, INCLUDING THE AMENDMENTS MADE 
  BY THAT ACT, AT A TIME WHEN THE NEED FOR BIPARTISAN SUPPORT OF THE 
 REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT PROGRAM OF THE UNITED STATES IS CRITICAL TO THE 
                        SURVIVAL OF THE PROGRAM

  Mr. COONS (for himself and Mr. Lankford) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations:

                              S. Res. 545

       Whereas, after receiving bipartisan support in both the 
     Senate and the House of Representatives, the Refugee Act of 
     1980, S. 643 (96th Congress), including the amendments made 
     by that Act, was signed into law on March 17, 1980, to 
     provide a domestic framework for the United States to align 
     with the international obligations of the United States, 
     including under--
       (1) the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, done 
     at Geneva July 28, 1951 (as made applicable by the Protocol 
     Relating to the Status of Refugees, done at New York January 
     31, 1967 (19 U.S.T. 6223), to which the United States is a 
     party);
       (2) the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman 
     or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, done at New York 
     December 10, 1984, to which the United States is a party;
       (3) the Convention Relating to the Status of Stateless 
     Persons, done at New York September 28, 1954; and
       (4) the Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness, done 
     at New York August 30, 1961;
       Whereas the humanitarian protection provided by the Refugee 
     Act of 1980 (Public Law 96-212; 94 Stat. 102), including the 
     amendments made by that Act, is consistent with the best 
     values of the United States, such as judging people not ``by 
     the color of their skin but by the content of their 
     character'', championing religious liberty, standing up for 
     one's beliefs, standing up for those who are being 
     mistreated, championing democracy, and upholding the rights 
     and practices of self-governance and free speech regardless 
     of race, ethnicity, or nationality;
       Whereas refugees are courageous, hard-working people of 
     conviction and values, defenders of democracy and faith, and 
     people who face persecution on account of race, religion, 
     nationality, membership in a particular social group, or 
     political opinion, and in some cases, face persecution 
     because they allied with the United States in crucial 
     missions, such as in Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Iraq, and 
     Afghanistan;
       Whereas the refugee resettlement program of the United 
     States authorized under the Refugee Act of 1980 (Public Law 
     96-212; 94 Stat. 102), including the amendments made

[[Page S1780]]

     by that Act, is a life-saving solution critical to global 
     humanitarian efforts that--
       (1) strengthens global security;
       (2) advances the foreign policy goals and national security 
     interests of the United States;
       (3) supports countries that host hundreds of thousands, or 
     even millions, of refugees;
       (4) collaborates with and supports the efforts of the 
     international community to support and resettle vulnerable 
     populations;
       (5) stabilizes sensitive conflicts and regions around the 
     globe; and
       (6) encourages other countries to contribute through 
     humanitarian support, resettlement, and finding strategies to 
     address existing conflict and prevent future conflict;
       Whereas the refugee resettlement program provides 
     protection and resettlement opportunities to individuals from 
     Iraq and Afghanistan who worked side by side with members of 
     the United States Armed Forces and peace builders;
       Whereas the Department of State acknowledged the 
     partnership between the admission of refugees and the 
     protection of inherent human rights in the 2018 Report on 
     International Religious Freedom and the 2018 Country Reports 
     on Human Rights Practices;
       Whereas refugees are major contributors to local economies, 
     pay an average of $21,000 more in taxes than they receive in 
     benefits, and revitalize cities and towns by offsetting 
     population decline and boosting economic growth throughout 
     the United States by opening businesses, paying taxes, and 
     buying homes;
       Whereas several industries rely heavily on refugee workers 
     to support the economic stability of those industries, and 
     low rates of arrivals of refugees, especially in towns that 
     rely on refugee populations to revitalize the industries in 
     those towns, have had serious effects on economic growth;
       Whereas, through the refugee resettlement program, the 
     United States has proudly pursued strategic and humanitarian 
     interests, resettling more than 3,000,000 refugees in 49 
     States over more than 40 years, and the program has received 
     support from Republican and Democratic Presidential 
     administrations and bipartisan congressional support, as 
     Presidents have set, through Presidential determinations, an 
     average annual refugee admissions goal of 95,000 refugees;
       Whereas, in collaboration with the Department of State and 
     through the Office of Refugee Resettlement, faith 
     communities, civic leaders, local social service agencies, 
     employers, and refugee resettlement agencies provide 
     essential services and welcome refugees who bring new life 
     and vitality to local communities;
       Whereas, in 2020, the world is in the midst of the worst 
     global displacement crisis in history, with more than 
     70,800,000 forcibly displaced persons, including more than 
     25,900,000 refugees worldwide, more than \1/2\ of whom are 
     children, according to estimates from the United Nations High 
     Commissioner for Refugees;
       Whereas, in 2018, global resettlement needs were not met 
     despite the high number of refugees in need of third-country 
     resettlement;
       Whereas a decline in refugee resettlements has had adverse 
     impacts on the infrastructure of refugee resettlement in the 
     United States, creating challenges for future increases in 
     resettlement;
       Whereas many Presidents have made changes and improvements 
     to the refugee resettlement program while continuing to 
     support and nurture its crucial role in humanitarian 
     protection and in promoting the national security and 
     strategic interests of the United States;
       Whereas refugees are the most thoroughly vetted class of 
     foreign nationals to enter the United States and are subject 
     to extensive screening checks, including in-person 
     interviews, biometric data checks, and multiple interagency 
     checks; and
       Whereas, as the major global humanitarian and strategic 
     leader, the United States should operate its refugee 
     resettlement program in a manner consistent with global 
     refugee resettlement need, the historical commitment of the 
     United States to refugee resettlement since the enactment of 
     the Refugee Act of 1980 (Public Law 96-212; 94 Stat. 102), 
     and the critical humanitarian leadership role of the United 
     States on the world stage: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) reaffirms its bipartisan commitment--
       (A) to abide by the cherished domestic and international 
     legal obligations of the United States to protect refugees 
     who flee war, persecution, or torture in search of religious 
     liberty, democracy, peace, hope, and freedom; and
       (B) to recognize the importance of the refugee resettlement 
     program of the United States as a critical tool for saving 
     lives and as a critical function of United States global 
     leadership--
       (i) to leverage foreign policy;
       (ii) to strengthen national and regional security;
       (iii) to support allies of the United States; and
       (iv) to demonstrate international support of refugees; and
       (2) calls upon the United States Government--
       (A) to provide robust funding for refugee protection 
     overseas and resettlement in the United States;
       (B) to uphold its international leadership role in 
     responding to displacement crises with humanitarian 
     assistance and protection of the most vulnerable populations;
       (C) to work in partnership with the international community 
     to find solutions to existing conflicts and prevent new 
     conflicts from beginning; and
       (D) to ensure the refugee resettlement program of the 
     United States is equipped to protect and support refugees, 
     especially allies who need the support of the United States, 
     as well as the international refugee assistance community 
     that needs United States leadership, and local communities 
     across the United States who want to welcome refugees and 
     continue together to build the American dream.

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