[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 145 (Wednesday, September 18, 2024)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E913]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





  INTRODUCTION OF THE UNRWA FUNDING EMERGENCY RESTORATION ACT OF 2024

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                           HON. ANDRE CARSON

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 18, 2024

  Mr. CARSON. Mr. Speaker, I am both pleased and saddened to introduce 
a bill that helps relieve the ongoing humanitarian crisis unfolding in 
Palestine. I thank my colleagues Representatives Jayapal and Schakowsky 
for joining me as co-leads, with 65 original cosponsors and over 100 
national organization endorsements. This important bill will: (1) 
Repeal the funding prohibitions on UNRWA included in the FY24 
Appropriations bill and the Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations 
Act of 2024; (2) Express a Sense of Congress that it supports 
appropriating critical funds to UNRWA for FY25; (3) Urge the Secretary 
of State, as soon as practicable, to rescind the temporary pause in 
funding for UNRWA and resume funding to UNRWA under current authorities 
of the Department of State; and (4) Require the Secretary of State to 
report to Congress on a quarterly basis on the steps UNRWA is taking to 
implement the recommendations contained in the independent outside 
review of the Agency's neutrality mechanisms and procedures.
  House-passed bills prohibiting UNRWA funding significantly erodes the 
United States' ability to provide life-saving assistance and basic 
services to Gaza's 2.2 million people. To date, over 40,000 
Palestinians have been killed and about 100,000 more have been 
seriously injured without access to functioning hospitals. Among the 
victims of this catastrophe are women and children. According to the 
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), over 150,000 pregnant women and 
new mothers are struggling to survive and access basic health care. 
Women in Gaza today are birthing children and having cesarean sections 
with no anesthesia. In addition, an estimated 700,000 women and girls 
in Gaza who require menstrual hygiene supplies are unable to manage 
their menstrual cycle in dignity, with some reports of contraceptive 
pills being taken to avoid the unhygienic menstrual conditions. Today, 
the fear of polio in children spreads across Gaza through fecal matter, 
limited clean drinking water, and destroyed infrastructure. 
Additionally, since October 7, thousands of Palestinian children have 
had one or both arms or legs amputated--without anesthesia. I want to 
reiterate--without anesthesia.
  We must prioritize addressing the humanitarian crisis and catastrophe 
in Gaza. UNRWA serves nearly six million Palestinian refugees across 
the West Bank, East Jerusalem, Syria, Jordan, and Lebanon and is the 
primary humanitarian aid organization operating in Gaza. The U.S. has 
historically been one of the largest financial supporters of UNRWA but 
paused funding following allegations by the Government of Israel that 
12 Agency employees had direct involvement in the October 7 terrorist 
attack.
  Following these allegations, the United Nations (UN) and UNRWA acted 
swiftly and decisively, immediately terminating the employees allegedly 
involved, ordering an independent outside review of the Agency's 
neutrality practices, and directing a review of the allegations by the 
UN's highest investigative body, the Office of Internal Oversight 
Services (OIOS).
  The outside review of UNRWA neutrality, led by former French Foreign 
Minister Catherine Colonna, concluded UNRWA has robust, well-developed 
internal mechanisms and that it possesses a more developed approach to 
neutrality than other similar UN or NGO entities. The review also 
identified steps the Agency can take to further ensure its commitment 
to neutrality. UNRWA welcomed the report and stated it is ``fully 
committed'' to implementing its recommendations. An American, UNRWA 
Deputy Commissioner-General Antonia De Meo, is leading the 
implementation effort.
  Just last month a donor review of UNRWA operations, funded in part by 
the U.S., concluded, ``The Agency's ability to deliver education, 
health, and social services at scale to one of the world's most 
vulnerable populations is unparalleled.''
  Following the UN's investigation and proactive commitments made by 
UNRWA toward complete accountability and reform, nearly all countries 
have resumed UNRWA funding including the European Union, United 
Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Finland, Germany, Japan, and Sweden. Only 
the U.S. has failed to restore this essential funding.
  International humanitarian NGOs and the major United Nations 
humanitarian organizations have made it clear that given UNRWA's role 
as the backbone of the humanitarian response, it is imperative that 
funding be restored and maintained to the Agency. These statements are 
especially relevant considering several of these humanitarian 
organizations would be required to drastically scale up their efforts 
at an impossible speed and scope to attempt to fill the humanitarian 
void that would be created should UNRWA cease to operate.
  Additionally, the U.S. joined 118 UN Member States in signing the 
Joint Commitments Initiative to Support UNRWA which stated that ``UNRWA 
is the backbone of all humanitarian response in Gaza and recognizing 
that no organization can replace or substitute UNRWA's capacity.''
  If we fail to act now, this escalating humanitarian crisis will only 
grow worse in Gaza, and further exacerbate tensions across the Middle 
East. It is in the strategic interest of both the U.S. and our allies, 
including Israel and Jordan, to resume and maintain full funding to 
UNRWA to stabilize the region and alleviate the humanitarian 
catastrophe that no other organization or agency will be able to 
effectively address.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this 
important bill to save lives and provide desperately needed 
humanitarian aid.

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