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[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 423 Introduced in House (IH)]

110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 423

 Calling for a comprehensive strategy to address the crisis in Darfur, 
   Sudan, and condemning the ongoing assaults and obstruction by the 
                            Khartoum regime.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 23, 2008

Mr. Kirk (for himself, Mr. Jackson of Illinois, and Mr. Wolf) submitted 
    the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the 
                      Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

 
 Calling for a comprehensive strategy to address the crisis in Darfur, 
   Sudan, and condemning the ongoing assaults and obstruction by the 
                            Khartoum regime.

Whereas more than 300,000 people have died and approximately 2,500,000 have been 
        displaced in Darfur, Sudan, since 2003, according to estimates by the 
        United Nations;
Whereas, on July 22, 2004, Congress unanimously declared that the atrocities in 
        Darfur were genocide;
Whereas, on September 9, 2004, Secretary of State Colin Powell described the 
        crisis in Darfur as genocide and on June 1, 2005, President George W. 
        Bush did the same;
Whereas the United States has led the world in financial contributions to 
        humanitarian aid and peacekeeping operations in Darfur;
Whereas, on July 31, 2007, the United Nations Security Council voted to deploy a 
        historic United Nations African Union (UNAMID) peacekeeping force to 
        stem the violence in Darfur and create conditions for peace talks;
Whereas only approximately 10,000 of the authorized force of 26,000 peacekeepers 
        and police have deployed to Darfur, the remaining forces have been 
        delayed by Sudanese obstruction as well as by a failure of the 
        international community to commit sufficient resources and to overcome 
        logistical obstacles;  
Whereas more than 4 years have passed since Congress declared the conflict in 
        Darfur to be genocide and conditions on the ground in Darfur continue to 
        worsen;
Whereas the Sudanese armed forces continue bombardment of alleged rebel 
        positions reportedly causing thousands of civilians to leave their homes 
        amid the fresh onslaught;
Whereas to date United Nations has failed to overcome obstructionism and 
        logistical difficulties imposed by the regime in Khartoum and the armed 
        factions in Darfur to assure the protection of civilians; and
Whereas this pattern of continued failure cannot continue: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That Congress--
            (1) urges the President, the Secretary-General of the 
        United Nations, the African Union, regional governmental and 
        nongovernmental actors, and other key members of the 
        international community to pursue a comprehensive solution to 
        the Darfur crisis by--
                    (A) supporting efforts to reach a just and 
                inclusive peace agreement;
                    (B) ensuring the full and effective deployment of 
                the United Nations African Union Mission in Darfur 
                (UNAMID);
                    (C) ensuring the free and unfettered flow of 
                humanitarian aid;
                    (D) promoting economic and political development 
                programs;
                    (E) supporting full implementation of the 
                Comprehensive Peace Agreement of 2005; and
                    (F) promoting justice and accountability;
            (2) condemns the ongoing acts of violence in and 
        obstruction of aid to Darfur committed by all parties; and
            (3) calls upon the Government of Sudan and armed parties in 
        the region to declare and respect an immediate cessation of 
        hostilities, abide by the United Nations embargo on the 
        importation of arms, cease predation and attacks upon 
        humanitarian organizations, and participate in international 
        efforts to negotiate a lasting political settlement for the 
        region.
                                 <all>
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