[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 283 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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117th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. RES. 283
Reaffirming the importance of the United States to promoting the
safety, health, and well-being of refugees and displaced persons.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
June 23, 2021
Mr. Menendez (for himself, Mr. Leahy, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Cardin, Mr.
Coons, Mr. Kaine, Mr. Murphy, Mr. Booker, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Markey, Mr.
Van Hollen, Mr. Warnock, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Blumenthal, Ms. Hirono, Ms.
Klobuchar, Ms. Smith, Mr. Brown, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Padilla, Mr.
Schatz, and Mr. Reed) submitted the following resolution; which was
referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Reaffirming the importance of the United States to promoting the
safety, health, and well-being of refugees and displaced persons.
Whereas June 20 is observed as ``World Refugee Day'', a global event to
acknowledge the courage, resilience, and determination of individuals
and families who are forced to flee their homes due to persecution;
Whereas December 14, 2020, signified 70 years since the founding of the Office
of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees;
Whereas July 28, 2021, is the 70th anniversary of the Convention Relating to the
Status of Refugees, signed in Geneva on July 28, 1951, which defines the
term ``refugee'' and outlines the rights of refugees and the legal
obligations of states to protect them;
Whereas, in 2020, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees--
(1) there were more than 82,400,000 forcibly displaced people
worldwide, the worst displacement crisis in recorded history, including
26,400,000 refugees, more than 48,000,000 internally displaced people, and
4,100,000 people seeking asylum;
(2) on average, 1 out of every 95 people worldwide was a refugee, an
internally displaced person, or a person seeking asylum;
(3) 11,200,000 people were newly displaced due to recent conflict or
persecution;
(4) 68 percent of the world's refugees came from Syria, Venezuela,
Afghanistan, South Sudan, and Burma;
(5) 2,600,000 Afghan refugees were displaced worldwide, making them one
of the world's largest and longest-running displaced populations;
(6) more than 50 percent of the population of Syria, at least
13,500,000 people, were displaced, either across the international border
or within Syria, which represents the largest displacement crisis in the
world today;
(7) children accounted for 30 percent of the world's population but 42
percent of all forcibly displaced people, millions of whom were unable to
access basic services, including education; and
(8) 86 percent of all refugees were hosted by developing nations, and
less than 1 percent of vulnerable refugees in need of resettlement had the
opportunity to resettle because sufficient numbers of places do not exist;
Whereas refugees are major contributors to local economies and served as
critical frontline health professionals and essential workers combating
the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide;
Whereas the United States has an obligation to provide humanitarian protection
to refugees, as well as interpreters, translators, and others in
Afghanistan who served alongside United States and NATO troops,
diplomats, and development workers;
Whereas the United States supports the United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees to increase protection for LGBTQI+ refugees overseas and to
support global resettlement of LGBTQI+ refugees; and
Whereas the United States Refugee Admissions Program, which was established over
40 years ago, is a lifesaving solution crucial to global humanitarian
efforts, strengthens global security, advances United States foreign
policy goals, supports regional host countries, and assists individuals
and families in need: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) reaffirms the bipartisan commitment of the United
States to promote the safety, health, and well-being of
millions of refugees, including the education of refugee
children and displaced persons, who flee war, persecution, or
torture in search of peace, hope, and freedom;
(2) recognizes those individuals who have risked their
lives working, either individually or for nongovernmental
organizations and international agencies, such as the United
Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, to provide lifesaving
assistance and protection for people displaced around the
world;
(3) underscores the importance of the United States Refugee
Admissions Program as a critical tool for the United States
Government to strengthen national and regional security and
encourage international solidarity with host countries;
(4) calls upon the Secretary of State and United States
Ambassador to the United Nations to--
(A) continue providing robust funding for refugee
protection overseas and resettlement in the United
States;
(B) uphold the United States international
leadership role in responding to displacement crises
with humanitarian assistance, and restore its
leadership role in the protection of vulnerable refugee
populations that endure sexual violence, human
trafficking, persecution and violence against religious
minorities, forced conscription, genocide, and
exploitation;
(C) work in partnership with the international
community to find solutions to existing conflicts and
prevent new conflicts from beginning;
(D) continue supporting the efforts of the United
Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to advance the
work of nongovernmental organizations to protect
refugees regardless of their country of origin or
religious beliefs;
(E) continue to alleviate pressures on frontline
refugee host countries that absorb the majority of the
world's refugees through humanitarian and development
support; and
(F) respond to the global refugee crisis by meeting
robust refugee admissions goals; and
(5) reaffirms the goals of ``World Refugee Day'' and
reiterates the strong commitment of the United States to
protect the millions of refugees who live without material,
social, or legal protections.
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