[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 12232]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  RESPONSIBILITY TO IRAQI REFUGEES ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EARL BLUMENAUER

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 10, 2007

  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Madam Speaker, today, along with Congresswoman Jan 
Schakowsky and Congressman Christopher Shays, I am introducing the 
``Responsibility to Iraqi Refugees Act.'' Iraq is the world's fastest 
growing refugee crisis, yet the U.S. response has been minimal.
  For one group in particular, however, our moral responsibility is 
unquestionable--Iraqis who are at risk because they helped the United 
States. Having cooperated with the United States military, the United 
Nations or even with a nongovernmental organization can literally mean 
a death sentence at the hands of any of the many sides in this civil 
war.
  Our legislation would admit Iraqis to the United States who are at 
risk because they helped coalition or reconstruction efforts in Iraq, 
establish a Special Coordinator for Iraqi Refugees and Internally 
Displaced Persons and require strategies to ensure the well-being and 
safety of Iraqi refugees in the region; and increase the number of 
persecuted Iraqis who can be admitted to the United States as refugees.
  I urge every Member of the House to cosponsor this broad, ambitious 
and comprehensive response to the Iraqi refugee crisis before it is too 
late for the people whose only crime was working with Americans.



                          PERSONAL EXPLANATION

                                 ______
                                 



                         HON. GUS M. BILIRAKIS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 10, 2007

  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Madam Speaker, unfortunately, I was unavoidably 
detained and missed rollcall vote No. 281.
  I take my voting responsibility very seriously, and if I had been 
present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 281.

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