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“RECOGNIZING WORLD REFUGEE DAY” mentioning the U.S. Dept of State was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H4705-H4707 on June 23, 2010.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
RECOGNIZING WORLD REFUGEE DAY
Ms. WATSON. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1350) recognizing June 20, 2010, as World Refugee Day, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows:
H. Res. 1350
Whereas World Refugee Day was first observed on June 20, 2001;
Whereas tens of thousands of people around the world take time to recognize the challenges and applaud the contributions of forcibly displaced persons throughout the world;
Whereas the annual commemoration of World Refugee Day is marked by a variety of events in more than 100 countries, involving government officials, humanitarian workers and volunteers, celebrities, and the forcibly displaced;
Whereas refugees are people who have been forced to flee their countries due to a well-founded fear of persecution based on their political opinions, religious beliefs, race, nationality, or membership in a particular social group;
Whereas internally displaced persons are those who have fled their homes or been uprooted but remain within the borders of their country;
Whereas of the 42,000,000 displaced persons worldwide, the United Nations Refugee Agency assists over 25,000,000, including 10,000,000 refugees and more than 14,000,000 internally displaced persons;
Whereas these vulnerable individuals rely on the United States, other governments, the United Nations, and numerous nongovernmental relief agencies for the protection of their basic human rights;
Whereas Somali refugees have lived in camps in Kenya since the early 1990s;
Whereas Burmese refugees have lived in camps inside Thailand since the mid-1980s;
Whereas decades of violence in Afghanistan have produced almost 3,000,000 refugees;
Whereas decades of violence caused by extremist groups forced up to 400,000 Colombians to seek refuge in other countries and produced 3,000,000 internally displaced persons within Colombia;
Whereas more than 4,000,000 Iraqis are displaced within their country and in the region, including Chaldeans and other minorities;
Whereas more than 2,000,000 people have been displaced by conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo;
Whereas ongoing conflict and violence in Sudan have forced more than 1,000,000 people to become internally displaced within Sudan and another 250,000 to flee to Chad;
Whereas some 150,000 Sudanese have sought protection in other countries around the world;
Whereas North Korean refugees inside China face trafficking, sexual exploitation, and forcible repatriation back to North Korea where they are tortured, imprisoned, and severely punished;
Whereas 2010 marks the 30th anniversary of the Refugee Act of 1980, the cornerstone of the United States' system of refugee protection and assistance;
Whereas the United States continues to be the single largest refugee resettlement country in the world; and
Whereas the United States is the largest single donor to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) reaffirms the commitment of the United States to promote the safety, health, and well-being of the millions of refugees who flee war, famine, persecution, and torture in search of peace, nourishment, hope, and freedom;
(2) calls on the Department of State to continue to support the efforts of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and to advance the work of nongovernmental organizations, especially those that also have expertise in resettlement, to protect refugees;
(3) calls on the United States Government to continue its international leadership role in response to those who have been displaced, including the most vulnerable populations who endure sexual violence, human trafficking, forced conscription, genocide, and exploitation;
(4) commends those who have risked their lives working individually and for the multitude of nongovernmental organizations, along with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, who have provided life-saving assistance and helped protect those displaced by conflict around the world; and
(5) reaffirms the goals of World Refugee Day and reiterates the strong commitment to protect the millions of refugees who live without material, social, or legal protections.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Watson) and the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-
Lehtinen) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from California.
General Leave
Ms. WATSON. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentlewoman from California?
There was no objection.
Ms. WATSON. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution, and I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I am grateful for the opportunity to speak today on H. Res. 1350, a resolution I introduced to recognize World Refugee Day as June 20, 2010. This special day, first marked in 2001, is held every year on June 20. Tens of thousands of people around the world take time to recognize the plight of forcibly displaced people throughout the world. The annual commemoration is marked by a variety of events in more than 100 countries involving government officials, humanitarian aid workers, celebrities, civilians, and those who were forcibly displaced themselves.
With the humanitarian efforts of the United States, other nations, and organizations like the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the Red Cross, the International Rescue Committee, and Refugees International, among so many others, refugees are able to flee from persecution, violence, and war in order to seek protection. Many have fled to the United States, a safe haven with a history of aiding those seeking protection from persecution, violence, and war. America has provided more assistance to refugees seeking protection than any other country.
If you have ever met a refugee, you have encountered someone who has overcome great obstacles simply to just survive. Take the case of a Somali refugee, Abdul Samatar, a young man with a childhood full of tragedy and life-threatening experiences who eventually took refuge in the United States. Abdul was born in 1984 in Somalia, at that time a peaceful land of great beauty, promise, and resources. Now, however, Somalia is overwhelmed by famine, war and violence, leaving no persons unaffected.
In 1992, Abdul's father, a religious leader in Mogadishu, the capital, was shot and killed during the civil war. After his death, Abdul lived the life of a nomad. He was afraid that, like his father, he would be killed by a rival tribe. He fled across the Somalia-Kenya border to Mandera, Kenya. Thanks to the generosity of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, he was provided with food and assistance in Mandera for 2\1/2\ years. Fortunately, while Abdul was in Nairobi, he was introduced to a refugee coordinator at the United States Embassy who, along with two other citizens, helped Abdul move to the United States. An example of success, Abdul graduated from high school in 2004 and graduated from university in May 2010 with a degree in American studies. With this education, Abdul intends to make a difference in the lives of those less fortunate. Yes, Madam Speaker, stories like that of Abdul attest to the success of our refugee program and give merit to recognizing June 20, 2010, as World Refugee Day.
And I just want to include that on last Friday, we were at the State Department. We had Abdul and his family there. And along with our Secretary of State, we celebrated, and we commended those who were involved in World Refugee Day.
I urge my colleagues to support the bipartisan H. Res. 1350.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise today as a proud cosponsor of House Resolution 1350. And I want to thank my good friend and colleague from California, Ambassador Watson, for introducing this worthy measure.
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This issue is important to me not just as the ranking member of the Foreign Affairs Committee or as a Member who represents one of the top 20 refugee resettlement areas in the United States, but also as a former refugee. Refugees have been a core component of our wonderful Nation since its creation. Whether they were early colonists fleeing religious persecution in Europe or families of the 20th century fleeing Communist tyranny, as mine fled the Castro regime, refugees have found in this great Nation safety, freedom, and opportunity.
From the Displaced Persons Act of 1948 to the Refugees Act of 1980 until today, I am proud of the work that Congress has done over the years to keep refugee protection a priority of our government. Traditionally, the United States has resettled more refugees on an annual basis than the rest of the world combined. But our country also lives up to its own highest ideals when we reach out overseas to help and protect those most vulnerable of the vulnerables, those forced from their home by persecution. Whether due to the ethnic, sectarian, or political conflict in Africa or the Middle East, or repression by regimes like those in Burma, North Korea, or Sudan, tens of millions of children, women, and men around the world stand in need of food, shelter, and protection.
Because of this vulnerability, they are also prime targets for dehumanizing forms of exploitation and human trafficking. By supporting the work of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees and the many dedicated nongovernmental organizations, the people of the United States continue to show our generosity toward the displaced and the vulnerable.
World Refugee Day, observed for the 10th time this past weekend, is a fitting time for us to reflect on these dire human needs, to commend the bravery and service of those who assist refugees in insecure circumstances around the world, and to recommit ourselves to the protection of displaced populations as a humanitarian and human rights priority. For these reasons, Madam Speaker, I support Ambassador Watson's measure, and I urge its prompt adoption.
Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. WATSON. Madam Speaker, I want to thank my cosponsor. I think that her stories, too, are very compelling. We join strongly together on this piece of legislation.
Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 1350, recognizing June 20, 2010, as World Refugee Day. I thank my colleague, Ms. Watson, for introducing this resolution that reminds us of the importance of protecting those who are vulnerable and finding a home for those who are displaced.
The theme of this year's World Refugee Day on June 20, 2010 is
``Home,'' in recognition of the plight of more than 40 million uprooted and displaced people around the world; approximately 10 million of whom are refugees of special concern to UNHCR.
As a Member of the Bipartisan Congressional Refugee Caucus, I have continuously stood up for the rights of the world's refugees. Today, there are more than 42 million refugees, including 16 million refugees outside their countries and 26 million others displaced internally.
This year, I am especially concerned for the people of Haiti--many of whom are facing the rainy season without a suitable home. According to Refugees International, approximately 700,000 people in Port-au-Prince are without homes or proper shelter and another 600,000 people have left the capital.
I also welcome the announcement from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Antonio Guterres, that 100,000 people having been referred for resettlement from the Middle East to third countries since 2007.
From Iraq and Afghanistan, to Sudan and the Congo, to Burma and Colombia, the United Nations Refugee Agency, with ample support from the United States, manages to support over 25 million. Indeed, these vulnerable individuals depend on the United States, other governments, the United Nations and other agencies for the protection of their basic human rights.
The United States is in fact a global leader in the protection of refugees and internally displaced persons. In the year 2010 the United States celebrates the 30th anniversary of the Refugee Act of 1980, a cornerstone of refugee protection and assistance which has brought the United States to be the single largest refugee resettlement country in the world, admitting a total of 65,722 in 2007. Moreover, the United States is the single largest donor to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
Madam Speaker, I urge every one of my fellow members of Congress to join Congresswoman Watson and me in reaffirming the commitment of the United States to promote the safety, health, and well-being of millions of refugees, calling on the Department of State to continue to support the efforts of the U.N. High Commissioner for refugees, call on the U.S. Government to continue to strengthen its leadership role in protecting displaced persons, commending those who have risked their lives working to provide assistance to refugees, and reaffirming the goals of World Refugee Day. These are vulnerable people, people in need. Let us not forget them or our promise to find an end to their plight.
Mr. McMAHON. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 1350, recognizing June 20, 2010 as World Refugee Day. According to the United Nations, more than 40 million people worldwide have been displaced from their respective lands. It is important that we recognize the plight of those around the globe who no longer have a place to call home.
The world refugee crisis is a widespread tragedy, the result of political upheaval, war, genocide, and natural calamities. And, as much as world refugee day commends these brave individuals, it is also a tribute to those who devote their lives to relieve the suffering of refugees.
Unfortunately, the NGOs that provide much-needed services for refugees are working with a rapidly-growing population of refugees and under increasingly dangerous conditions.
Today, terrorism is one of the leading causes of families being uprooted from their homes. We see this phenomenon throughout Africa, Afghanistan and particularly in Northwest Frontier Province of Pakistan. Unfortunately, millions now live in fear as Al-Qaeda and the Taliban attempt to spread their extremism, while targeting those relief workers that work to feed and clothe these victims.
This year there is added significance on World Refugee Day because 2010 is the 30th anniversary of the Refugee Act of 1980. With this resolution, tie United States will join over one hundred countries in recognizing the struggles of those who have been displaced from their homes and the NGO community that works to help them.
Alongside the United Nations, the U.S. Department of State is at the forefront of aiding nongovernmental organizations in helping refugees.
I urge the House of Representatives to keep in mind today the 40 million refugees across the world, of which 17 million of whom are children.
Madam Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to stand up and recognize World Refugee Day and to ensure that the United States continues to be an international leader in this regard.
Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to express my strong support of H. Res. 1350 which recognizes June 20, 2010 as World Refugee Day. I want to thank Congresswoman Watson for her acknowledgement of this important day by introducing this resolution to Congress.
The U.N. Refugee Agency defines a refugee as a person who has fled their country of nationality and who is unable or unwilling to return to that country because of a ``well-founded'' fear of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social group. Hostilities across the world make refugees truly a global concern. Whether the refugees are fleeing government oppression in Sudan or Iran, or fleeing intra-communal fighting, there needs to be more attention given to these displaced and struggling individuals. I believe that this resolution is an outstanding way to recognize the severity of refugees' varying situations by celebrating World Refugee Day.
In fact, the reinstitution of many refugees from abroad has happened within the 4th District of Georgia. In 2000, Clarkston, Georgia had the highest percentage of people from Somalia in the United States who sought refuge here from this hostile region. Additionally, I am very proud that numerous national, and international organizations servicing refugees call the 4th District of Georgia and metropolitan Atlanta home.
Finally, refugees also affect our nation due to the fact the United States is the single largest refugee resettlement country in the world. Therefore, I urge my colleagues to support H. Res. 1350 to express our support and protection for refugees internationally, as well as those now residing within our own nation's borders.
I urge my colleagues to support this important resolution.
Ms. WATSON. I have no further requests for time, Madam Speaker, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Watson) that the House suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1350, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the resolution, as amended, was agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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