II 

110TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 3509 

To address the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Iraq and potential security 

breakdown resulting from the mass displacement of Iraqis inside Iraq 

and as refugees into neighboring countries. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

SEPTEMBER 17, 2008 

Mr. CASEY (for himself and Mr. CARDIN) introduced the following bill; which 

was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

A BILL 

To address the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Iraq and 

potential security breakdown resulting from the mass 

displacement of Iraqis inside Iraq and as refugees into 

neighboring countries. 

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 ‘‘Support for Vulnerable 

5 and Displaced Iraqis Act of 2008’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress makes the following findings: 


jbell on PROD1PC69 with BILLS
2 

•S 3509 IS

1 (1) Since the beginning of the 2003 war in 

2 Iraq, according to countries hosting Iraqi refugees, 

3 up to 2,000,000 Iraqis have fled their homes for 

4 neighboring countries to avoid sectarian and other 

5 violence. 

6 (2) According to the Office of the United Na7 tions High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), 

8 there are over 2,700,000 internally displaced persons 

9 (IDPs) in Iraq, and many other vulnerable Iraqis 

10 have been unable to flee, many lacking adequate 

11 food, shelter, and other basic services. 

12 (3) The massive flow of Iraqi refugees into 

13 neighboring host countries has overwhelmed existing 

14 social, economic, and security capacities of such 

15 countries. Few Iraqis currently consider return to 

16 Iraq an option. 

17 (4) Increasing poverty and despair among dis18 placed populations may provide fertile ground for 

19 possible recruitment by extremist groups. 

20 (5) The humanitarian crisis in Iraq and its 

21 neighbors threatens to undermine stability in the 

22 broader region. 

23 (6) The United States has yet to disclose a 

24 long-term comprehensive strategy to address the hu25 manitarian situation of vulnerable Iraqis, especially 


jbell on PROD1PC69 with BILLS
3 

•S 3509 IS

1 mass displacement of Iraqis inside Iraq and as refu2 gees into neighboring countries. 

3 SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 

4 It is the sense of Congress that— 

5 (1) refugees from Iraq and vulnerable Iraqis in 

6 Iraq, especially internally displaced persons, will 

7 have an impact on the stability of Iraq and the re8 gion, and the short- and long-term effects and needs 

9 of their situation must be considered within the 

10 overall Iraq policy of the United States and be ad11 dressed at the highest levels of government; 

12 (2) United States leadership is essential to sus13 tain and expand the response of the international 

14 community, including the Government of Iraq, to the 

15 humanitarian crisis in Iraq and faced by Iraqi refu16 gees; 

17 (3) it is critical for the United States to provide 

18 strong leadership on funding assistance requests 

19 from the UNHCR and other international organiza20 tions and nongovernmental organizations providing 

21 humanitarian assistance to vulnerable populations in 

22 Iraq, including internally displaced persons, and to 

23 Iraqi refugees in neighboring countries; 

24 (4) the United States should develop a long25 term, comprehensive humanitarian strategy in coVerDate Aug 31 2005 03:18 Sep 18, 2008 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S3509.IS S3509

jbell on PROD1PC69 with BILLS
4 

•S 3509 IS

1 ordination with the Government of Iraq, host coun2 tries, and other countries in the region, donor gov3 ernments, inter-governmental organizations, inter4 national organizations, and nongovernmental organi5 zations to meet the humanitarian needs of vulner6 able Iraqis, especially Iraqi refugees and internally 

7 displaced persons, through assistance and resettle8 ment; 

9 (5) internally displaced Iraqis and Iraqi refu10 gees should only return when they are able to do so 

11 safely, voluntarily, and sustainably; and 

12 (6) the United States should rely on assess13 ments of the UNHCR, which has the mandate from 

14 the international community for displaced people, 

15 nongovernmental organizations, and displaced Iraqis 

16 themselves, in developing a long-term, comprehensive 

17 humanitarian strategy to address the crisis facing 

18 refugees from Iraq and internally displaced persons 

19 in Iraq. 

20 SEC. 4. DEVELOPMENT OF REGIONAL STRATEGY. 

21 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of State, in con22 sultation with the Administrator of the United States 

23 Agency for International Development, the Secretary of 

24 Defense, and the heads of other Federal agencies as ap25 propriate, shall develop a comprehensive regional strategy 


jbell on PROD1PC69 with BILLS
5 

•S 3509 IS

1 to address the mass displacement of Iraqis inside Iraq and 

2 as refugees into neighboring countries. 

3 (b) CONTENT.—The strategy required under sub4 section (a) shall— 

5 (1) address the serious challenges facing refu6 gees from Iraq, including— 

7 (A) the lack of legal status recognized by 

8 host governments and the inability of refugees 

9 to work legally; 

10 (B) inadequate UNHCR resources to reg11 ister more refugees from Iraq, assist them in 

12 Iraq and host countries, and refer them for re13 settlement; 

14 (C) inadequate UNHCR resources for non15 governmental organizations to assist refugees 

16 from Iraq; 

17 (D) limited access to education and 

18 healthcare; 

19 (E) critical food shortages; and 

20 (F) inadequate shelter, drinking water, 

21 sanitation, and protection; 

22 (2) address the responsibility of the Govern23 ment of Iraq to help meet the urgent humanitarian 

24 needs of its citizens in Iraq and the region and steps 


jbell on PROD1PC69 with BILLS
6 

•S 3509 IS

1 the United States can take to provide support in this 

2 area; 

3 (3) include an assessment of the needs of vul4 nerable Iraqis in Iraq, especially internally displaced 

5 persons and Iraqi refugees in the region, and an es6 timate of assistance required in order for the United 

7 States to help meet these needs, including bilateral 

8 assistance and contributions to the Office of the 

9 United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees 

10 (UNHCR), other international organizations, and 

11 nongovernmental organizations providing humani12 tarian assistance to vulnerable populations in Iraq, 

13 including internally displaced persons, and to Iraqi 

14 refugees in neighboring countries; 

15 (4) include the number of refugees from Iraq 

16 that the United States plans to admit to and resettle 

17 in the United States in order to maintain the tradi18 tional United States share of world-wide refugee ad19 missions and resettlement, participate in burden 

20 sharing with host countries, and provide a robust re21 sponse to the protection needs of refugees from Iraq, 

22 and provide an explanation and justification for the 

23 number; 

24 (5) include an assessment of what conditions 

25 are necessary for the voluntary, safe, sustainable reVerDate Aug 31 2005 03:18 Sep 18, 2008 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S3509.IS S3509

jbell on PROD1PC69 with BILLS
7 

•S 3509 IS

1 turn of displaced Iraqis, relying on the evaluations 

2 of the United States High Commissioner for Refu3 gees, nongovernmental organizations, and displaced 

4 Iraqis themselves; 

5 (6) include a description of the steps that the 

6 United States Government has taken and will take 

7 to engage the international community, including the 

8 Government of Iraq, to implement the strategy and 

9 the response of the international community to these 

10 efforts; and 

11 (7) include plans to assess the impact of the 

12 strategy. 

13 SEC. 5. REPORTS. 

14 (a) RECOMMENDATIONS.—Not later than April 15, 

15 2009, the Comptroller General of the United States shall 

16 submit to the appropriate congressional committees de17 tailed recommendations on steps the United States can 

18 take to address the humanitarian situation for vulnerable 

19 Iraqis, especially the mass displacement of Iraqis inside 

20 Iraq and as refugees into neighboring countries. 

21 (b) COMPREHENSIVE REGIONAL STRATEGY.—Not 

22 later than June 1, 2009, the Secretary of State shall sub23 mit to the appropriate congressional committees a detailed 

24 description of the comprehensive regional strategy reVerDate Aug 31 2005 03:18 Sep 18, 2008 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S3509.IS S3509

jbell on PROD1PC69 with BILLS
8 

•S 3509 IS

1 quired under section 4, as well as proposed timelines and 

2 budgets for implementing the strategy. 

3 (c) ANNUAL REPORT.—Not later than December 31, 

4 2009, and annually thereafter until December 31, 2013, 

5 the Secretary of State shall submit a report to Congress 

6 on the needs of vulnerable Iraqis, the implementation of 

7 the comprehensive regional strategy, and the impact of the 

8 regional strategy. 

9 SEC. 6. APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES DE10 FINED. 

11 In this Act, the term ‘‘appropriate congressional com12 mittees’’ means— 

13 (1) the Committee on Foreign Relations and 

14 the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and 

15 (2) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the 

16 Committee on Appropriations of the House of Rep17 resentatives. 

Æ 


jbell on PROD1PC69 with BILLS