I 

110TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 5488 

To provide for the recovery and stability of Iraq, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 26, 2008 

Ms. WATERS (for herself, Ms. LEE, and Ms. WOOLSEY) introduced the 

following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

A BILL 

To provide for the recovery and stability of Iraq, and for 

other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Recovery and Stability 

5 of Iraq Act of 2008’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND STATEMENT OF POLICY. 

7 (a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 

8 (1) The crisis of displaced Iraqis represents a 

9 profound threat to the regional stability of the Mid10 dle East and confronting the humanitarian crisis in 


smartinez on PRODPC61 with BILLS
2 

•HR 5488 IH

1 Iraq is a national security interest, as well as a pro2 found moral responsibility. 

3 (2) Congress recognizes that violence in Iraq 

4 has contributed to an enormous and urgent humani5 tarian crisis. 

6 (3) At the end of 2007, the total number of dis7 placed Iraqis is estimated to be approximately 

8 4,500,000 people: 2,400,000 internally displaced and 

9 with nearly as many Iraqi refugees having fled the 

10 country. 

11 (4) In 2006 the Iraq Study Group Report rec12 ommended that ‘‘If the [refugee and internally dis13 placed persons] situation is not addressed, Iraq and 

14 the region could be further destabilized, and the hu15 manitarian suffering could be severe’’, and that 

16 ‘‘The United States should take the lead in funding 

17 assistance requests from the United Nations High 

18 Commissioner for Refugees, and other humanitarian 

19 agencies.’’. 

20 (b) STATEMENT OF POLICY.—It is the policy of the 

21 United States Government, as a party to the 1967 Pro22 tocol to the 1951 United Nations Convention Relating to 

23 the Status of Refugees, to support the rights of displaced 

24 persons and scrupulously observe the principle of nonVerDate Aug 31 2005 03:52 Feb 27, 2008 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H5488.IH H5488

smartinez on PRODPC61 with BILLS
3 

•HR 5488 IH

1 refoulement, irrespective of whether or not such persons 

2 have been formally recognized as refugees. 

3 SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF IRAQI DISPLACEMENT COOR4 DINATOR. 

5 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.— 

6 (1) IN GENERAL.—There is established within 

7 the Executive Office of the President a position to 

8 be known as the ‘‘Iraqi Displacement Coordinator’’ 

9 (in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Coordinator’’), who 

10 shall report directly to the President on the state of 

11 the Iraqi displacement situation. Not later than 30 

12 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 

13 President shall appoint an individual to serve as the 

14 Coordinator. 

15 (2) IDENTIFICATION AND COORDINATION.—The 

16 Coordinator shall identify programs that address the 

17 humanitarian needs and requirements of displaced 

18 Iraqis, and shall review, provide advice, support, and 

19 coordinate with the heads of relevant departments 

20 and agencies of the United States Government, the 

21 Government of Iraq, countries hosting displaced 

22 Iraqis in the region, the United Nations, and other 

23 involved nongovernmental organizations (NGO’s) 

24 and international organizations (IO’s). 


smartinez on PRODPC61 with BILLS
4 

•HR 5488 IH

1 (3) DUTIES.—The Coordinator shall be respon2 sible for— 

3 (A) leading the United States Government 

4 effort to respond to the crisis confronting dis5 placed Iraqis, including refugees and internally 

6 displaced persons; 

7 (B) ensuring to the greatest extent pos8 sible that the rights and legal protections of 

9 displaced Iraqis are respected and enforced by 

10 host countries; 

11 (C) discouraging violations in the spirit of 

12 the 1967 Protocol to the 1951 Convention Re13 lating to the Status of Refugees by any country 

14 hosting displaced Iraqis, including a country 

15 that is not a party to the Protocol or Conven16 tion; 

17 (D) pursuing coordination and support for 

18 host countries of displaced Iraqis, recognizing 

19 that humanitarian action is non-political by na20 ture; 

21 (E) ensuring proper management, imple22 mentation, transparency, and oversight by 

23 agencies of the United States Government re24 sponsible for assistance projects for displaced 

25 Iraqis; 


smartinez on PRODPC61 with BILLS
5 

•HR 5488 IH

1 (F) resolving policy and program disputes 

2 among departments and agencies of the United 

3 States Government with respect to assistance 

4 projects for displaced Iraqis; 

5 (G) reporting directly to the President with 

6 respect to assistance for displaced Iraqis; and 

7 (H) encourage to the greatest extent pos8 sible the Government of Iraq to authorize and 

9 fully support a cabinet-level ministry position to 

10 support displaced Iraqis. 

11 (4) LONG-TERM PLANNING FOR DISPLACED

12 IRAQIS.— 

13 (A) COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGY.—The Co14 ordinator shall design, in consultation with con15 cerned governments in the region, a comprehen16 sive strategy to address the needs of displaced 

17 Iraqis. The strategy should recognize the need 

18 for immediate support for the most vulnerable 

19 displaced Iraqis, as well as promote durable, 

20 long-term solutions to the displacement crisis. 

21 The strategy should recognize the unique needs 

22 in each of Iraq’s 18 provinces, and the needs of 

23 countries hosting Iraqi refugees. 

24 (B) PLANNING FOR THE RETURN OF DIS25 PLACED IRAQIS.—The Coordinator shall encourVerDate Aug 31 2005 03:52 Feb 27, 2008 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H5488.IH H5488

smartinez on PRODPC61 with BILLS
6 

•HR 5488 IH

1 age the Government of Iraq, with the coordina2 tion of the United States Government, the 

3 United Nations, appropriate foreign govern4 ments, and other interested parties to develop a 

5 long-term plan for the voluntary, dignified, and 

6 safe return of displaced Iraqis to their homes. 

7 The plan should address issues of return, repa8 triation, and reintegration of displaced Iraqis, 

9 including providing for proper procedures for 

10 settling property disputes. Long-term planning 

11 for returns shall not interfere with humani12 tarian assistance efforts for displaced Iraqis. 

13 (b) REPORTING.— 

14 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after 

15 the date of the enactment of this Act and every 120 

16 days thereafter, the Coordinator shall submit to the 

17 President and Congress a report on United States 

18 status of assistance efforts for displaced Iraqis. 

19 (2) CONTENTS.—The report required under 

20 this subsection shall include the following informa21 tion: 

22 (A) A description of the strategy required 

23 under subsection (a)(4). 

24 (B) An assessment of the progress of the 

25 strategy required under subsection (a)(4), and 


smartinez on PRODPC61 with BILLS
7 

•HR 5488 IH

1 any steps taken toward implementation of the 

2 strategy. 

3 (C) The distribution of duties and respon4 sibilities regarding assistance projects for dis5 placed Iraqis among the agencies of the United 

6 States Government. 

7 (D) An assessment of assistance efforts for 

8 displaced Iraqis implemented by all relevant ac9 tors, including the United States Government, 

10 the Iraqi Government, foreign governments, the 

11 United Nations, international organizations, 

12 and nongovernmental organizations. 

13 (E) An evaluation of the Government of 

14 Iraq’s ability to implement assistance for dis15 placed Iraqis in an effective and equitable man16 ner. 

17 (F) An overall evaluation of the humani18 tarian conditions confronting Iraq and displaced 

19 Iraqis, and the various regional impacts of their 

20 presence. 

21 (G) An assessment of the budgetary needs 

22 of the agencies United States Government in 

23 meeting the goals of the comprehensive strat24 egy. 


smartinez on PRODPC61 with BILLS
8 

•HR 5488 IH

1 (H) Recommendations for preventing fu2 ture displacement in Iraq. 

3 (c) AUTHORIZATION OF FUNDS.—There are author4 ized to be appropriated such funds as may be necessary 

5 for fiscal years 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013 for the 

6 establishment and operating costs of the Iraqi Displace7 ment Coordinator within the Department of State. 

8 SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS. 

9 In this Act— 

10 (1) DISPLACED IRAQIS.—The term ‘‘displaced 

11 Iraqis’’ means Iraqis who have become refugees or 

12 internally displaced persons. 

13 (2) INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSON.—The 

14 term ‘‘internally displaced person’’ means a person 

15 who has been forced or obliged to flee or to leave 

16 such person’s home or place of last habitual resi17 dence, in particular as a result of or in order to 

18 avoid the effects of armed conflict, situations of gen19 eralized violence, violations of human rights, or nat20 ural or human-made disasters, and who have not 

21 crossed an internationally-recognized state border. 

22 (3) NON-REFOULEMENT.—The term ‘‘non23 refoulement’’ has the meaning given such term in 

24 the 1951 United Nations Convention Relating to the 

25 Status of Refugees. 


smartinez on PRODPC61 with BILLS
9 

•HR 5488 IH

1 (4) REFUGEE.—The term ‘‘refugee’’ means a 

2 person who is outside the country of such person’s 

3 nationality or, in the case of a person having no na4 tionality, is outside the country in which such person 

5 last habitually resided, and who is unable or unwill6 ing to return to, and is unable or unwilling to avail 

7 himself or herself of the protection of, that country 

8 because of persecution or a well-founded fear of per9 secution on account of race, religion, nationality, 

10 membership in a particular social group, or political 

11 opinion. 

Æ 


smartinez on PRODPC61 with BILLS