IV 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 444 

Reaffirming the importance of the United States to promote the safety, 

health, and well-being of refugees and displaced persons. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 14, 2019 

Mr. TED LIEU of California (for himself, Ms. LOFGREN, Mr. NEGUSE, and 

Mr. DIAZ-BALART) 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 

Reaffirming the importance of the United States to promote 

the safety, health, and well-being of refugees and displaced persons. 

Whereas the United States has historically served as the 

benchmark for establishing a comprehensive response to 

displacement crises around the world, as well as for promoting the safety, health, and well-being of refugees and 

displaced persons; 

Whereas June 20 is observed as World Refugee Day, a global 

day to acknowledge the courage, strength, resilience, and 

determination of women, men, and children who are 


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forced to flee their homes due to conflict, violence, and 

persecution; 

Whereas, in 2017, according to the United Nations High 

Commissioner for Refugees— 

(1) there were more than 68,500,000 displaced persons worldwide, the worst displacement crisis in global 

history, including more than 25,400,000 refugees, over 

40,000,000 internally displaced persons, and 3,100,000 

people seeking asylum; 

(2) on average, 44,400 people were forced from their 

homes each day in the absence of peace and reconciliation 

in countries where armed conflict, violence, and persecution continue to reign; 

(3) 16,200,000 new individuals and families were 

displaced, the majority of whom were displaced within the 

borders of their own countries; 

(4) 60 percent of preventable maternal deaths occur 

in situations of conflict and displacement, and 1 in 5 refugees or displaced women in situations of humanitarian 

crisis suffer sexual violence, a figure which is likely underestimated; 

(5) children accounted for 52 percent of all refugees, 

only half of them attend school; 

(6) refugee children were five times more likely to be 

out of school than children who are not displaced, with 

refugee girls having less access to school than refugee 

boys; 

(7) 68 percent of all refugees came from Syria, Afghanistan, South Sudan, Myanmar, and Somalia, including 6,300,000 refugees from Syria alone; 

(8) there were more than 12,600,000 forcibly displaced Syrians, including 6,300,000 refugees, 6,200,000 


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internally displaced people, and 146,700 asylum-seekers; 

and 

(9) 85 percent of all refugees were hosted by developing nations, and less than 1 percent of vulnerable refugees in need of resettlement had the opportunity to resettle because sufficient numbers of places do not exist; and 

Whereas the United States resettlement program is a life-saving solution critical to global humanitarian efforts, which 

serves to strengthen global security, advance United 

States foreign policy goals, and support regional host 

countries while serving individuals and families in need: 

Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) reaffirms the bipartisan commitment of the 

3 United States to promote the safety, health, edu4 cation, and well-being of the millions of refugees and 

5 displaced persons uprooted by war, persecution, and 

6 violence in search of peace, hope, and freedom; 

7 (2) supports those who have risked their lives, 

8 working either individually or for nongovernmental 

9 organizations or international agencies such as the 

10 United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, to 

11 provide life-saving assistance and protection to those 

12 displaced around the world; 

13 (3) underscores the importance of the United 

14 States refugee resettlement program as a critical 

15 tool for United States global leadership to leverage 

16 foreign policy, strengthen national and regional secuVerDate Sep 11 2014 20:25 Jun 14, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\HR444.IH HR444

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1 rity, and encourage international solidarity with host 

2 countries; 

3 (4) calls upon the United States Secretary of 

4 State and United States Ambassador to the United 

5 Nations to— 

6 (A) continue supporting robust funding for 

7 refugee protection and humanitarian response 

8 overseas and resettlement to the United States; 

9 (B) uphold the United States international 

10 leadership role in responding to displacement 

11 crises with humanitarian assistance, and restore 

12 its leadership role in the protection of vulner13 able refugee populations that endure sexual vio14 lence, human trafficking, persecution and vio15 lence against religious minorities, forced con16 scription, genocide, and exploitation; 

17 (C) work in partnership with the inter18 national community to find solutions to existing 

19 conflicts, promote peace and reconciliation, and 

20 prevent new conflicts from beginning; 

21 (D) continue supporting the efforts of the 

22 United Nations High Commissioner for Refu23 gees and to advance the work of nongovern24 mental organizations to protect refugees regardVerDate Sep 11 2014 20:25 Jun 14, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\HR444.IH HR444

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1 less of their country of origin or religious be2 liefs; 

3 (E) continue to alleviate pressures on 

4 frontline refugee host countries that absorb the 

5 majority of the world’s refugees through hu6 manitarian and development support; and 

7 (F) respond to the global refugee crisis by 

8 meeting robust refugee admissions goals; and 

9 (5) reaffirms the goals of World Refugee Day 

10 and reiterates the strong commitment to protect the 

11 millions of refugees who live without material, social, 

12 or legal protections. 

Æ 


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