IV 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 131 

Concerning the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo 

and the need for international efforts toward long-term peace, stability, 

and observance of human rights. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 21, 2013 

Ms. BASS (for herself, Mr. SMITH of New Jersey, Mr. MEEKS, Mr. SIRES, Mr. 

CONNOLLY, Mr. DEUTCH, Mr. KEATING, Mr. CICILLINE, Mr. VARGAS, 

Mr. LOWENTHAL, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mr. RANGEL, Mr. 

SMITH of Washington, Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia, Ms. LEE of California, 

Mr. LEWIS, Mr. MORAN, Ms. NORTON, Mr. PAYNE, Mr. RUSH, Mr. 

TAKANO, Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York, Mr. HONDA, Ms. 

EDWARDS, Mrs. BEATTY, Mr. CAPUANO, Mr. CLEAVER, Mrs. 

CHRISTENSEN, Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE

JOHNSON of Texas, Ms. WILSON of Florida, Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia, Mr. HASTINGS of Florida, Mr. CLYBURN, Mr. VEASEY, Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi, Mr. WATT, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Ms. SPEIER, Ms. 

JACKSON LEE, Ms. HAHN, Ms. FUDGE, Ms. MOORE, Mr. ELLISON, Ms. 

CLARKE, Mr. LARSEN of Washington, Mr. SCOTT of Virginia, Ms. 

WATERS, and Mr. BISHOP of Georgia) submitted the following resolution; 

which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Concerning the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic 

of the Congo and the need for international efforts toward long-term peace, stability, and observance of human 

rights. 

Whereas since the 1990s, an estimated 5,000,000 people have 

died and more than 2,000,000 people have been displaced 


tjames on DSK6SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
2 

•HRES 131 IH 

due to repeated cycles of conflict and atrocities, particularly those in North and South Kivu provinces; 

Whereas the United Nations and humanitarian groups have 

reported staggering rates of sexual violence indicating 

tens of thousands of cases perpetrated by the Congolese 

army and armed groups, including the M23 and the 

Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, which 

continue to operate with nearly total impunity; 

Whereas human rights defenders in the Democratic Republic 

of the Congo have been subject to intimidation and attack; 

Whereas the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s wealth of 

natural resources, including minerals and high-value wildlife products such as elephant ivory, have been a key 

driver of insurrection and violence, and the discovery and 

exploitation of oil could motivate further conflict; 

Whereas the deeply flawed November 2011 elections in the 

Democratic Republic of the Congo laid bare significant 

political, economic, and social challenges; 

Whereas the Democratic Republic of the Congo is home to 

one of the world’s longest enduring and most expensive 

international peacekeeping operations; 

Whereas the November 20, 2012, seizure of the city of Goma 

by the M23 rebel group, despite bilateral and multilateral 

efforts to address longstanding humanitarian crises, forge 

lasting peace, and pursue security sector reform and accountability, demonstrates that the underlying causes of 

the recurring conflicts in the eastern provinces of the 

Democratic Republic of the Congo remain unresolved; 

Whereas on November 15, 2012, the United Nations Group 

of Experts provided compelling evidence, in report findVerDate Mar 15 2010 00:42 Mar 22, 2013 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR131.IH HR131

tjames on DSK6SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
3 

•HRES 131 IH 

ings corroborated by the United States Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs in testimony before 

the United States House of Representatives on December 

11, 2012, and December 19, 2012, that the M23 crisis 

is fueled and exacerbated by the Government of Rwanda, 

including through Rwandan Government provision of significant military and logistical assistance, and of operational and political guidance and support, to the M23; 

and 

Whereas the United Nations and United States have imposed 

sanctions on the M23 and its leaders for human rights 

atrocities including rape, massacres, and the recruitment 

and physical and psychological torture of child soldiers: 

Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) asserts that the region’s leaders and the 

3 international community should break the cycle of 

4 violence and impunity in the Democratic Republic of 

5 the Congo and surrounding region and urgently ad6 dress the root causes of the M23 conflict and pre7 vious crises; 

8 (2) calls on the signatories of the February 24, 

9 2013, Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework 

10 for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the 

11 Region to abide by the provisions outlined in the 

12 framework agreement in addition to ensuring that 

13 those troops being re-integrated into the Congolese 


tjames on DSK6SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
4 

•HRES 131 IH 

1 army are not those accused of human rights viola2 tions; 

3 (3) calls on governments of the Great Lakes re4 gion of Africa to respect the national security and 

5 territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of 

6 the Congo, and to immediately halt and prevent any 

7 and all forms of support to the M23 and other non8 state armed groups, including any support provided 

9 by individuals independently of government policy; 

10 (4) recognizes the recent efforts by the Govern11 ment of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to 

12 end the recruitment of children into the armed 

13 forces and demands the immediate cessation of the 

14 recruitment and exploitation of children by militias, 

15 and further calls on all armed groups to free chil16 dren and other civilians held against their will; 

17 (5) calls on the Obama Administration, in close 

18 coordination with international and regional part19 ners, to mobilize a comprehensive response to pre20 vent further deterioration of regional peace and sta21 bility and to ensure that life-saving humanitarian as22 sistance be unhindered and provided to populations 

23 in need, particularly displaced persons and conflict24 affected communities; 


tjames on DSK6SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
5 

•HRES 131 IH 

1 (6) acknowledges the good work of the United 

2 States Special Advisor on the Great Lakes and the 

3 Democratic Republic of the Congo, and finds that 

4 the challenges of helping to resolve the cycle of vio5 lence and impunity in the Democratic Republic of 

6 the Congo requires higher-level United States diplo7 matic and political engagement; 

8 (7) requests that Secretary of State John Kerry 

9 demonstrate the high-level concern that the United 

10 States attaches to ensuring stability and security in 

11 the Democratic Republic of the Congo by appointing 

12 a Special Envoy who will help lead the United States 

13 and international efforts to end the M23 conflict and 

14 secure permanent peace, stability, and safety for the 

15 people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo; 

16 (8) calls on all nations to increase cooperation 

17 in order to cease the trade of illegal goods, including 

18 poached ivory and conflict minerals, that continues 

19 to fuel violence in the Democratic Republic of the 

20 Congo; 

21 (9) calls on the Obama Administration, includ22 ing the Atrocities Prevention Board, in close coordi23 nation with international and regional partners, to 

24 develop and make actionable recommendations to 

25 address, prevent, and ensure accountability for seriVerDate Mar 15 2010 00:42 Mar 22, 2013 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\HR131.IH HR131

tjames on DSK6SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
6 

•HRES 131 IH 

1 ous violations of international humanitarian law and 

2 human rights abuses by all actors in the Democratic 

3 Republic of the Congo, including by fully imple4 menting sanctions outlined in section 1284 of the 

5 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 

6 2013, notwithstanding transactions that are cus7 tomary, necessary, and incidental to the provision of 

8 critical, life-saving aid to civilian populations, and 

9 the policy goals set out under the Democratic Re10 public of the Congo Relief, Security, and Democracy 

11 Promotion Act of 2006, introduced by then-Senator 

12 Barack Obama; 

13 (10) urges the Government of the Democratic 

14 Republic of the Congo, with close support from the 

15 international community, to investigate and pros16 ecute those who have committed war crimes, crimes 

17 against humanity, and violations of international hu18 manitarian law and human rights, including those 

19 against women and children; 

20 (11) calls on the Government of the Democratic 

21 Republic of the Congo to meaningfully engage in 

22 electoral reforms, in addition to security sector re23 forms to prevent militia combatants, particularly 

24 M23 members, accused of abuses from integrating 

25 into the military, and to host inclusive inter-CongoVerDate Mar 15 2010 00:42 Mar 22, 2013 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\HR131.IH HR131

tjames on DSK6SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
7 

•HRES 131 IH 

1 lese dialogues to address critical internal political 

2 issues and strengthen processes of state institution 

3 building in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; 

4 (12) urges the Obama Administration to ad5 dress alleged support for militias operating in the 

6 Democratic Republic of the Congo from foreign gov7 ernments or entities; 

8 (13) acknowledges the United Nations’ appoint9 ment of the Special Envoy for the Great Lakes re10 gion of Africa; and 

11 (14) urges the United Nations Security Council 

12 to lead efforts to reinforce and strengthen the 

13 United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission 

14 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo 

15 (MONUSCO) and its capacity to protect civilians, 

16 including preventing any future M23 advances on 

17 Goma, as evidenced by the temporary seizure of 

18 Goma and other areas, and to support measures to 

19 strengthen the ability of MONUSCO to help ensure 

20 peace and security in the future. 

Æ 


tjames on DSK6SPTVN1PROD with BILLS