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[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 663 Introduced in House (IH)]

113th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 663

  Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives on the current 
 situation in Iraq and the urgent need to protect religious minorities 
from persecution from the Sunni Islamist insurgent and terrorist group 
 the Islamic State in Iraq and Levant (ISIL) as it expands its control 
                    over areas in northwestern Iraq.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 10, 2014

 Mr. Vargas submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
 the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on 
   the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
  Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
           within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
  Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives on the current 
 situation in Iraq and the urgent need to protect religious minorities 
from persecution from the Sunni Islamist insurgent and terrorist group 
 the Islamic State in Iraq and Levant (ISIL) as it expands its control 
                    over areas in northwestern Iraq.

Whereas Iraq is currently embroiled in a political and religious insurrection 
        stemming from an Islamic State in Iraq and Levant (ISIL)-led offensive 
        that began in the Anbar province and has spread to key locations such as 
        Mosul, Tikrit, and Samarra and continues to engulf the region in 
        violence and instability;
Whereas ISIL is a transnational Sunni insurgency whose ideological and 
        organizational roots lie in both al Qaeda in Iraq and the Syria-based 
        Jabhat al Nursa and has a stated mission of establishing an Islamic 
        state and a caliphate across the Levant through violence against 
        Shiites, non-Muslims, and unsupportive Sunnis;
Whereas Iraq's population is approximately 31,300,000 with 97 percent 
        identifying themselves as Muslim and the approximately 3 percent of 
        religious minorities groups comprising of Christians, Yezidis, Sabean-
        Mandaeans, Bahais, Shabaks, Kakais, and Jews;
Whereas the Iraqi Christian population is estimated to be between 400,000 and 
        850,000 with two-thirds being Chaldean, one-fifth Assyrian, and the 
        remainder consisting of Syriacs, Protestants, Armenians, and Anglicans;
Whereas the Iraqi constitution provides for religious freedom by stating--

    (1) ``no law may be enacted that contradicts the principles of 
democracy'';

    (2) ``no law may be enacted that contradicts the rights and basic 
freedoms stipulated in this Constitution''; and

    (3) ``[This Constitution] guarantees the full religious rights to 
freedom of religious belief and practice of all individuals such as 
Christians, Yazidis, and Mandean Sabeans'';

Whereas over 500,000 people have been displaced by the current situation in Iraq 
        and reports have surfaced of targeted harassment, persecution, and 
        killings of Iraqi religious minorities by ISIL with little to no 
        protection from the Iraqi Government and other security forces;
Whereas the fall of Mosul in particular has sparked enough anxiety among the 
        Christian population that for the first time in 1,600 years there was no 
        Mass in the city;
Whereas over 50 percent of Iraq's Christian population has fled since the fall 
        of Saddam Hussein, 1,100,000 people of diverse religious backgrounds 
        remain internally displaced and the government under Prime Minister 
        Nouri al-Maliki has not upheld its commitment to protect the rights of 
        religious minorities;
Whereas the United States has provided over $73,000,000 of cumulative assistance 
        to Iraq's minority populations since 2003 through economic development, 
        humanitarian services, and capacity development;
Whereas 84,902 Iraqis have resettled to the United States between 2007 and 2013 
        and over 300,000 Chaldean and Assyrians currently reside throughout the 
        country, particularly in Michigan, California, Arizona, Illinois, and 
        Ohio; and
Whereas President Barack Obama recently declared on Religious Freedom Day, 
        ``Foremost among the rights Americans hold sacred is the freedom to 
        worship as we choose . . . we also remember that religious liberty is 
        not just an American right; it is a universal human right to be 
        protected here at home and across the globe. This freedom is an 
        essential part of human dignity, and without it our world cannot know 
        lasting peace'': Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) reaffirms its commitments to promoting and protecting 
        religious freedom around the world and providing relief to 
        minority groups facing persecution;
            (2) calls on the United States Department of State to work 
        with the Kurdistan Regional Government, the Iraqi central 
        government, neighboring countries, the diaspora community in 
        the United States, the United Nations High Commissioner for 
        Refugees, and other key stakeholders to help secure safe havens 
        for those claiming amnesty in Iraq;
            (3) respectfully requests the addition of a Special 
        Representative for Religious Minorities to be included in Prime 
        Minister al-Maliki's newly reconstructed government; and
            (4) urges the Administration to expedite the visa 
        processing for Iraq's minority groups and to lift the quota cap 
        for Iraqi-Christians in order to streamline the process of 
        accepting refugees by reallocating immigration quotas rather 
        than increasing the 70,000 refugee limitation.
                                 <all>
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