[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 208 (Thursday, December 2, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S8913]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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  SENATE RESOLUTION 465--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE THAT THE 
  UNITED STATES SHOULD PRIORITIZE WITHIN THE GOVERNMENT AND EMPHASIZE 
  WITH ALLIES THE NEED TO PROVIDE CONTINUED SUPPORT TO, AND MAINTAIN 
 LEGAL PATHWAYS FOR THE EMIGRATION OUT OF AFGHANISTAN OF, INDIVIDUALS 
             WHO DO NOT WISH TO BE GOVERNED BY THE TALIBAN

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

                              S. Res. 465

       Whereas, on August 15, 2021, the government of the Islamic 
     Republic of Afghanistan collapsed, with President Ashraf 
     Ghani fleeing to the United Arab Emirates;
       Whereas, on the same day, the Taliban seized Kabul, the 
     capital city of Afghanistan;
       Whereas the United States immediately began an emergency 
     evacuation of Afghanistan, focusing on United States 
     citizens, individuals with special immigrant visas, and 
     refugees with Priority 1 and Priority 2 designations;
       Whereas, on August 31, 2021, the United States ended its 
     evacuation efforts in Afghanistan, leaving United States 
     citizens and an unknown--but notably high--number of visa-
     eligible Afghans and other allies at risk of harm from the 
     Taliban;
       Whereas Afghan citizens in Afghanistan are increasingly at 
     risk of food insecurity and poverty;
       Whereas the increase of poverty in Afghanistan creates 
     conditions that could lead to a dramatic increase in human 
     trafficking and child, early, or force marriage, which 
     disproportionately impact women and girls;
       Whereas the United States has a legal duty to protect 
     United States citizens and lawful permanent residents from 
     harm;
       Whereas the United States has a moral duty and security 
     interest in protecting the Afghan citizens who worked to 
     build a democracy for themselves based on assurances from the 
     United States Government that such efforts would be defended 
     by the United States and its allies;
       Whereas the United States has a humanitarian responsibility 
     to protect individuals who--
       (1) are at risk of retribution based on their--
       (A) religious beliefs;
       (B) activities supporting democracy in Afghanistan; or
       (C) defense of human rights, especially women's rights and 
     empowerment;
       (2) are in imminent danger due to the absence of the United 
     States-led coalition in Afghanistan, which spanned two 
     decades; or
       (3) are at risk of hunger or starvation;
       Whereas the United States has ended its military presence 
     in Afghanistan and will conduct any remaining operations in 
     Afghanistan from Doha, Qatar; and
       Whereas the United States should not accept the loss of two 
     decades of nation-building, civil society strengthening, 
     elections monitoring, advances in rights for girls and women, 
     cultural exchange programs, and many other initiatives in 
     collaboration with the people of Afghanistan: Now, therefore, 
     be it
       Resolved, That--
       (1) it is the sense of the Senate that--
       (A) the Secretary of State, in consultation with relevant 
     Federal agencies, should lead a coordinated effort--
       (i) to extract United States citizens and lawful permanent 
     residents from Afghanistan;
       (ii) to support Afghan citizens in their efforts to safely 
     leave Afghanistan; and
       (iii) to maintain open lines of contact and help with 
     individuals remaining in Afghanistan under the Taliban;
       (B) to carry out the coordinated effort described in 
     subparagraph (A), the Secretary of State should--
       (i) advise and consult with appropriate parties to advocate 
     for the rights and freedoms of the people of Afghanistan at 
     all international venues and with the governments of partner 
     countries; and
       (ii) oversee support such as--

       (I) assistance mechanisms for Afghan citizens who are in 
     need of humanitarian assistance or who are defending the 
     human rights and freedoms of Afghan citizens; and
       (II) other mechanisms sufficient to continue to advocate 
     for United States interests with United States allies and 
     among the international community;

       (iii) continue the coordinated effort described in 
     subparagraph (A) until the later of--

       (I) the date on which the Secretary of State has assisted 
     in physically relocating, from Afghanistan to locations 
     outside of the internationally recognized border of 
     Afghanistan, any--

       (aa) citizen of the United States; and
       (bb) lawful permanent resident of the United States;

       (II) the date on which an independent human rights monitor 
     has been established and is functioning in Afghanistan; and
       (III) the date on which the Secretary of State identifies a 
     neutral international organization or entity that is able to 
     vie for United States interests in Afghanistan till such a 
     time as Afghanistan is returned to legitimate government;

       (C) the United States should--
       (i) work with the United Nations to establish humanitarian 
     corridors from and to countries bordering Afghanistan, 
     including Tajikistan, which has indicated willingness to 
     receive Afghan refugees; and
       (ii) work with such countries to ensure the efficient and 
     safe reception and processing of Afghan refugees, in 
     accordance with international humanitarian law, to be 
     registered by the United Nations High Commissioner for 
     Refugees and processed swiftly and equitably for travel to 
     recipient countries, including the United States;
       (D) such humanitarian corridors should be free from 
     obstruction by the Taliban, and safe passage should be 
     provided by the United Nations or any other organization;
       (E) humanitarian assistance should continue to be provided 
     to Afghanistan through the United Nations and international 
     nongovernmental organizations, with special focus on the most 
     vulnerable individuals, including women, girls, and 
     individuals from ethnic minority groups, while also ensuring 
     that the assistance does not benefit the Taliban politically 
     or otherwise;
       (F) the United Nations should appoint an independent, 
     nongovernmental human rights monitor, who--
       (i) should have continued free access throughout 
     Afghanistan to ensure the Taliban is not brutalizing 
     individuals and families living in Afghanistan; and
       (ii) should report to the United Nations Security Council 
     in an ongoing fashion on the human rights and humanitarian 
     situation on the ground in Afghanistan;
       (G) the United States should convene a high-level summit to 
     identify and consult with countries willing and able to 
     receive Afghan refugees; and
       (H) the Secretary of State should ensure robust interagency 
     coordination and improve collaboration and transparency with 
     Congress, United States civil society, and resettlement 
     agencies so as to improve processing, service provision, and 
     United States capacity to welcome; and
       (2) the Senate discourages the United States Government 
     from engaging with the Taliban in any way that would grant 
     the Taliban benefits typically afforded to legitimate 
     governments or would otherwise legitimize the Taliban, 
     including by--
       (A) making deposits through the World Bank Group, the 
     International Monetary Fund, or the Department of the 
     Treasury or facilitating any other transactions that would 
     provide economic support to the Taliban;
       (B) providing any foreign assistance for a nonhumanitarian 
     purpose that might benefit or accrue to the Taliban;
       (C) facilitating any exchange of Ambassadors or fielding 
     any diplomatic mission that goes beyond an ``interest 
     section'' necessary for diplomatic conversations without 
     recognition; or
       (D) allowing the Taliban to occupy Afghanistan's seat in 
     the United Nations.

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