III 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 341 

Supporting peace, security, and innocent civilians affected by conflict in 

Yemen. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

NOVEMBER 5, 2009 

Mr. CARDIN (for himself, Mr. LUGAR, Mr. CASEY, and Mr. LIEBERMAN) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 

Foreign Relations 

NOVEMBER 18, 2009 

Reported by Mr. KERRY, without amendment 

DECEMBER 4, 2009 

Considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Supporting peace, security, and innocent civilians affected 

by conflict in Yemen. 

Whereas the people and Government of Yemen currently face 

tremendous security challenges, including the presence of 

a substantial number of al Qaeda militants, a rebellion in 

the northern part of the country, unrest in southern regions, and piracy in the Gulf of Aden; 

Whereas these security challenges are compounded by a lack 

of governance throughout portions of the country; 


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SRES 341 ATS 

Whereas this lack of governance creates a de facto safe haven 

for al Qaeda and militant forces in regions of Yemen; 

Whereas Yemen also faces significant development challenges, 

reflected in its ranking of 140 out of 182 countries in the 

United Nations Development Program’s 2009 Human 

Development Index; 

Whereas Yemen is also confronted with limited and rapidly 

depleting natural resources, including oil, which accounts 

for over 75 percent of government revenue, and water, 1⁄3

of which goes to the cultivation of qat, a narcotic to 

which a vast number of Yemenis are addicted; 

Whereas government subsidies are contributing to the depletion of Yemen’s scarce resources; 

Whereas the people of Yemen suffer from a lack of certain 

government services, including a robust education and 

skills training system; 

Whereas the Department of State’s 2009 International Religious Freedom Report notes that nearly all of the oncesizeable Jewish population in Yemen has emigrated, and, 

based on fears for the Jewish community’s safety in the 

country, the United States Government has initiated a 

special process to refer Yemeni Jews for refugee resettlement in the United States; 

Whereas women in Yemen have faced entrenched discrimination, obstacles in accessing basic education, and genderbased violence in their homes, communities, and workplaces while little is done to enforce or bolster the equality of women; 

Whereas these challenges pose a threat not only to the Republic of Yemen, but to the region and to the national 

security of the United States; 


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Whereas, to the extent that Yemen serves as a base for terrorist operations and recruitment, these threats must be 

given sufficient consideration in the global strategy of the 

United States to combat terrorism; 

Whereas this threat has materialized in the past, including 

the March 18 and September 17, 2008, attacks on the 

United States Embassy in Sana’a and the October 12, 

2000, attack on the U.S.S. Cole while it was anchored in 

the Port of Aden, as well as numerous other terrorist attacks; 

Whereas the population of Yemen has suffered greatly from 

conflict and underdevelopment in Yemen; 

Whereas up to 150,000 civilians have fled their homes in 

northern Yemen since 2004 in response to conflict between Government of Yemen forces and al-Houthi rebel 

forces; and 

Whereas the people and Government of the United States 

support peace in Yemen and improved security, economic 

development, and basic human rights for the people of 

Yemen: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) supports the innocent civilians in Yemen, 

3 especially displaced persons, who have suffered from 

4 instability, terrorist operations, and chronic under5 development in Yemen; 

6 (2) recognizes the serious threat instability and 

7 terrorism in Yemen pose to the security of the 

8 United States, the region, and the population in 

9 Yemen; 


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1 (3) calls on the President to give sufficient 

2 weight to the situation in Yemen in efforts to pre3 vent terrorist attacks on the United States, United 

4 States allies, and Yemeni civilians; 

5 (4) calls on the President to promote economic 

6 and political reforms necessary to advance economic 

7 development and good governance in Yemen; 

8 (5) applauds steps that have been taken by the 

9 President and the United Nations High Commis10 sioner for Refugees to assist displaced persons in 

11 Yemen; 

12 (6) urges the Government of Yemen and rebel 

13 forces to immediately halt hostilities, allow medical 

14 and humanitarian aid to reach civilians displaced by 

15 conflict, and create an environment that will enable 

16 a return to normal life for those displaced by the 

17 conflict; and 

18 (7) calls on the President and international 

19 community to use all appropriate measures to assist 

20 the people of Yemen to prevent Yemen from becom21 ing a failed state. 

Æ 


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