[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 107 (Tuesday, June 20, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Page S2148]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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SENATE RESOLUTION 258--REAFFIRMING THE IMPORTANCE OF THE UNITED STATES 
PROMOTING THE SAFETY, HEALTH, AND WELL-BEING OF REFUGEES AND DISPLACED 
           PERSONS IN THE UNITED STATES AND AROUND THE WORLD

  Mr. MENENDEZ (for himself, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Booker, Mr. Cardin, 
Mr. Coons, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Fetterman, Mr. Hickenlooper, 
Ms. Hirono, Mr. Kaine, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Markey, Mr. Merkley, Mr. 
Murphy, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Warnock, Mr. Welch, Mr. Whitehouse, and Mr. 
Wyden) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
Committee on Foreign Relations:

                              S. Res. 258

       Whereas June 20, 2023, is an international day designated 
     by the United Nations as ``World Refugee Day,'' to honor 
     refugees around the globe and celebrate the strength and 
     courage of people who have been forced to flee their homes to 
     escape conflict or persecution due to their race, religion, 
     nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular 
     social group;
       Whereas July 28, 2023, is the 72nd anniversary of the 
     adoption of the Convention relating to the Status of 
     Refugees, done at Geneva July 28, 1951, which defines the 
     term ``refugee'' and outlines the rights of refugees and the 
     legal obligations of nation states to protect such rights;
       Whereas the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees 
     (referred to in this preamble as ``UNHCR'') has recently 
     reported that--
       (1) there are more than 108,000,000 displaced people who 
     have been forced from their homes worldwide, which is more 
     displaced people than at any other time in recorded history, 
     including more than 35,200,000 refugees and 62,500,000 
     internally displaced persons;
       (2) 67 percent of the world's refugees originate from just 
     Syria, Ukraine, Afghanistan, or Venezuela;
       (3) more than 50 percent of the population of Syria (at 
     least 13,000,000 people) have been displaced since the 
     beginning of the Syrian civil war in 2011, either exiting 
     Syria across the international border or going to other areas 
     within Syria, and this displacement crisis has been 
     exacerbated by major earthquakes that struck Turkiye and 
     Syria in early February 2023;
       (4) more than 14,000,000 Ukrainian nationals and other 
     third country nationals are currently displaced as a result 
     of Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine;
       (5) there are an estimated 5,700,000 Afghan refugees around 
     the world, of whom more than 90 percent are hosted in either 
     Iran or Pakistan, while an additional 3,500,000 Afghans are 
     internally displaced, having fled their homes searching for 
     refuge within Afghanistan;
       (6) Latin America and the Caribbean currently host 84 
     percent of the more than 7,000,000 Venezuelan refugees and 
     migrants globally, and the Americas currently host 
     approximately 20,000,000 refugees, asylum-seekers, and 
     stateless people from around the world;
       (7) more than 1,800,000 people are currently displaced due 
     to the ongoing conflict in Sudan, and a large majority of 
     such people are women and children who are traveling to 
     neighboring countries; and
       (8) 76 percent of all refugees worldwide are hosted in low 
     and middle income countries and fewer than 1 percent of 
     vulnerable refugees in need of resettlement have had such 
     opportunity due to lack of sufficient resettlement places;
       Whereas welcoming people from around the world who have 
     been oppressed and persecuted is a central tenet of our great 
     Nation, and the United States is home to a diverse population 
     of refugees and immigrants who have added to the economic 
     strengths and cultural richness of our communities;
       Whereas since seeking asylum is a protected right under 
     United States domestic and international law, the United 
     States is legally obligated to contribute to the maintenance 
     of a humane and functioning international asylum system;
       Whereas the principle of non-refoulement is also a central 
     tenet of the United States refugee and asylum systems, and 
     thousands of people living in the United States who 
     immigrated from countries around the world would be subject 
     to harm if they were deported to their countries of origin 
     due to widespread conflict or persecution in such countries;
       Whereas the United States Refugee Admissions Program, which 
     was established in 1980--
       (1) is a lifesaving pillar of global humanitarian efforts;
       (2) advances United States national security and foreign 
     policy goals; and
       (3) supports regional host countries;
       Whereas resettlement is an essential part of a 
     comprehensive strategy to respond to refugee crises, promote 
     regional stability, and strengthen United States national 
     security;
       Whereas resettlement to the United States is available for 
     the most vulnerable refugees who undergo rigorous security 
     vetting and medical screening processes;
       Whereas the United States supports the efforts of the UNHCR 
     to increase protection for, and the global resettlement of, 
     LGBTQI+ refugees overseas;
       Whereas women and girls have an increased risk of sexual 
     violence, exploitation, and trafficking while they are 
     traveling to seek safe living conditions;
       Whereas through the United States Refugee Resettlement 
     Program--
       (1) only 11,411 refugees arrived in the United States 
     during fiscal year 2021, which is the lowest number of 
     refugees for any fiscal year since the program began;
       (2) only 25,465 refugees arrived in the United States 
     during fiscal year 2022 despite an admissions goal of 
     125,000; and
       (3) as of May 30, 2023, only 31,797 refugees had arrived in 
     the United States during fiscal year 2023;
       Whereas resettlement organizations, businesses, and other 
     community and faith-based groups offer support for refugees 
     who resettle in the United States;
       Whereas, between 2005 and 2014, refugees who have resettled 
     in the United States contributed an estimated 
     $269,100,000,000 to the national economy, which far surpasses 
     the $206,100,000,000 spent by the United States to assist 
     refugees worldwide during such period; and
       Whereas most refugees integrate and quickly become self-
     sufficient by joining the workforce, paying taxes, supporting 
     local commerce, helping to fill labor shortages in critical 
     industries, and creating new jobs: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) recognizes the urgency to establish and follow 
     comprehensive, fair, and humane policies to address forced 
     migration and refugee challenges;
       (2) reaffirms the bipartisan commitment of the United 
     States to promote the safety, health, and well-being of 
     millions of refugees and asylum seekers, including the 
     education of refugee children and displaced persons fleeing 
     war, persecution, or torture in search of protection, peace, 
     hope, and freedom;
       (3) recognizes the many individuals who have risked their 
     lives working, either individually or on behalf of 
     nongovernmental organizations or international agencies, such 
     as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees 
     (referred to in this resolution as ``UNHCR''), to provide 
     lifesaving assistance and protection for people around the 
     world who have been displaced from their homes;
       (4) reaffirms the imperative to fully restore United States 
     asylum protections enshrined in the Refugee Act of 1980 
     (Public Law 96-212) by rejecting harmful bans and 
     restrictions that limit refugees' access to protections and 
     due process at the United States border;
       (5) reaffirms the importance of the United States Refugee 
     Resettlement Program as a critical tool of the United States 
     Government--
       (A) to strengthen national and regional security; and
       (B) to encourage international solidarity with host 
     countries; and
       (6) calls upon the Secretary of State, the Secretary of 
     Homeland Security, and the United States Ambassador to the 
     United Nations--
       (A) to uphold the United States' international leadership 
     role in responding to displacement crises with humanitarian 
     assistance, and restoring its leadership role in the 
     protection of vulnerable refugee populations that endure 
     gender-based violence, human trafficking, persecution, and 
     violence against religious minorities, forced conscription, 
     genocide, and exploitation;
       (B) to work in partnership with the international community 
     to find solutions to existing conflicts, prevent new 
     conflicts from emerging, and tackle the root causes of 
     involuntary migration;
       (C) to continue supporting the efforts of the UNHCR and 
     advance the work of nongovernmental organizations to protect 
     refugees and asylum seekers regardless of their country of 
     origin, race, ethnicity, or religious beliefs;
       (D) to continue to alleviate pressures, through 
     humanitarian and development assistance, on frontline refugee 
     host countries that absorb the majority of the world's 
     refugees, while effectively advocating for refugee well-
     being, including access to education and livelihoods;
       (E) to meaningfully include refugees and displaced 
     populations in creating and achieving the policy solutions 
     affecting them;
       (F) to respond to the global refugee crisis by meeting 
     robust refugee admissions goals;
       (G) to actively participate in the Global Refugee Forum 
     scheduled to take place in Geneva in December 2023 to advance 
     United States goals and gain commitments from the global 
     community to expand refugee protection; and
       (H) to reaffirm the goals of ``World Refugee Day'' and 
     reiterate the United States' strong commitment to protect 
     refugees and asylum seekers who live without adequate 
     material, social, or legal protections.

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