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[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 465 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>

117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 465

   Expressing the sense of the Senate that the United States should 
prioritize within the Government and emphasize with allies the need to 
   provide continued support to, and maintain legal pathways for the 
  emigration out of Afghanistan of, individuals who do not wish to be 
                        governed by the Taliban.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            December 2, 2021

  Mr. Cassidy (for himself and Mrs. Shaheen) submitted the following 
  resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
   Expressing the sense of the Senate that the United States should 
prioritize within the Government and emphasize with allies the need to 
   provide continued support to, and maintain legal pathways for the 
  emigration out of Afghanistan of, individuals who do not wish to be 
                        governed by the Taliban.

Whereas, on August 15, 2021, the government of the Islamic Republic of 
        Afghanistan collapsed, with President Ashraf Ghani fleeing to the United 
        Arab Emirates;
Whereas, on the same day, the Taliban seized Kabul, the capital city of 
        Afghanistan;
Whereas the United States immediately began an emergency evacuation of 
        Afghanistan, focusing on United States citizens, individuals with 
        special immigrant visas, and refugees with Priority 1 and Priority 2 
        designations;
Whereas, on August 31, 2021, the United States ended its evacuation efforts in 
        Afghanistan, leaving United States citizens and an unknown--but notably 
        high--number of visa-eligible Afghans and other allies at risk of harm 
        from the Taliban;
Whereas Afghan citizens in Afghanistan are increasingly at risk of food 
        insecurity and poverty;
Whereas the increase of poverty in Afghanistan creates conditions that could 
        lead to a dramatic increase in human trafficking and child, early, or 
        force marriage, which disproportionately impact women and girls;
Whereas the United States has a legal duty to protect United States citizens and 
        lawful permanent residents from harm;
Whereas the United States has a moral duty and security interest in protecting 
        the Afghan citizens who worked to build a democracy for themselves based 
        on assurances from the United States Government that such efforts would 
        be defended by the United States and its allies;
Whereas the United States has a humanitarian responsibility to protect 
        individuals who--

    (1) are at risk of retribution based on their--

    G    (A) religious beliefs;

    G    (B) activities supporting democracy in Afghanistan; or

    G    (C) defense of human rights, especially women's rights and 
empowerment;

    (2) are in imminent danger due to the absence of the United States-led 
coalition in Afghanistan, which spanned two decades; or

    (3) are at risk of hunger or starvation;

Whereas the United States has ended its military presence in Afghanistan and 
        will conduct any remaining operations in Afghanistan from Doha, Qatar; 
        and
Whereas the United States should not accept the loss of two decades of nation-
        building, civil society strengthening, elections monitoring, advances in 
        rights for girls and women, cultural exchange programs, and many other 
        initiatives in collaboration with the people of Afghanistan: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That--
            (1) it is the sense of the Senate that--
                    (A) the Secretary of State, in consultation with 
                relevant Federal agencies, should lead a coordinated 
                effort--
                            (i) to extract United States citizens and 
                        lawful permanent residents from Afghanistan;
                            (ii) to support Afghan citizens in their 
                        efforts to safely leave Afghanistan; and
                            (iii) to maintain open lines of contact and 
                        help with individuals remaining in Afghanistan 
                        under the Taliban;
                    (B) to carry out the coordinated effort described 
                in subparagraph (A), the Secretary of State should--
                            (i) advise and consult with appropriate 
                        parties to advocate for the rights and freedoms 
                        of the people of Afghanistan at all 
                        international venues and with the governments 
                        of partner countries; and
                            (ii) oversee support such as--
                                    (I) assistance mechanisms for 
                                Afghan citizens who are in need of 
                                humanitarian assistance or who are 
                                defending the human rights and freedoms 
                                of Afghan citizens; and
                                    (II) other mechanisms sufficient to 
                                continue to advocate for United States 
                                interests with United States allies and 
                                among the international community;
                            (iii) continue the coordinated effort 
                        described in subparagraph (A) until the later 
                        of--
                                    (I) the date on which the Secretary 
                                of State has assisted in physically 
                                relocating, from Afghanistan to 
                                locations outside of the 
                                internationally recognized border of 
                                Afghanistan, any--
                                            (aa) citizen of the United 
                                        States; and
                                            (bb) lawful permanent 
                                        resident of the United States;
                                    (II) the date on which an 
                                independent human rights monitor has 
                                been established and is functioning in 
                                Afghanistan; and
                                    (III) the date on which the 
                                Secretary of State identifies a neutral 
                                international organization or entity 
                                that is able to vie for United States 
                                interests in Afghanistan till such a 
                                time as Afghanistan is returned to 
                                legitimate government;
                    (C) the United States should--
                            (i) work with the United Nations to 
                        establish humanitarian corridors from and to 
                        countries bordering Afghanistan, including 
                        Tajikistan, which has indicated willingness to 
                        receive Afghan refugees; and
                            (ii) work with such countries to ensure the 
                        efficient and safe reception and processing of 
                        Afghan refugees, in accordance with 
                        international humanitarian law, to be 
                        registered by the United Nations High 
                        Commissioner for Refugees and processed swiftly 
                        and equitably for travel to recipient 
                        countries, including the United States;
                    (D) such humanitarian corridors should be free from 
                obstruction by the Taliban, and safe passage should be 
                provided by the United Nations or any other 
                organization;
                    (E) humanitarian assistance should continue to be 
                provided to Afghanistan through the United Nations and 
                international nongovernmental organizations, with 
                special focus on the most vulnerable individuals, 
                including women, girls, and individuals from ethnic 
                minority groups, while also ensuring that the 
                assistance does not benefit the Taliban politically or 
                otherwise;
                    (F) the United Nations should appoint an 
                independent, nongovernmental human rights monitor, 
                who--
                            (i) should have continued free access 
                        throughout Afghanistan to ensure the Taliban is 
                        not brutalizing individuals and families living 
                        in Afghanistan; and
                            (ii) should report to the United Nations 
                        Security Council in an ongoing fashion on the 
                        human rights and humanitarian situation on the 
                        ground in Afghanistan;
                    (G) the United States should convene a high-level 
                summit to identify and consult with countries willing 
                and able to receive Afghan refugees; and
                    (H) the Secretary of State should ensure robust 
                interagency coordination and improve collaboration and 
                transparency with Congress, United States civil 
                society, and resettlement agencies so as to improve 
                processing, service provision, and United States 
                capacity to welcome; and
            (2) the Senate discourages the United States Government 
        from engaging with the Taliban in any way that would grant the 
        Taliban benefits typically afforded to legitimate governments 
        or would otherwise legitimize the Taliban, including by--
                    (A) making deposits through the World Bank Group, 
                the International Monetary Fund, or the Department of 
                the Treasury or facilitating any other transactions 
                that would provide economic support to the Taliban;
                    (B) providing any foreign assistance for a 
                nonhumanitarian purpose that might benefit or accrue to 
                the Taliban;
                    (C) facilitating any exchange of Ambassadors or 
                fielding any diplomatic mission that goes beyond an 
                ``interest section'' necessary for diplomatic 
                conversations without recognition; or
                    (D) allowing the Taliban to occupy Afghanistan's 
                seat in the United Nations.
                                 <all>
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