IV 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 902 

Commemorating March 17, 2020, as the 40th anniversary of the Refugee 

Act of 1980, and the amendments made by that Act, at a time when 

the need for bipartisan support of the refugee resettlement program 

of the United States is critical to the survival of the program. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 13, 2020 

Ms. GARCIA of Texas (for herself and Mr. CURTIS) 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 

Commemorating March 17, 2020, as the 40th anniversary 

of the Refugee Act of 1980, and the amendments made 

by that Act, at a time when the need for bipartisan 

support of the refugee resettlement program of the 

United States is critical to the survival of the program. 

Whereas after receiving bipartisan support in both the Senate 

and the House of Representatives, the Refugee Act of 

1980, and the amendments made by that Act, S. 643 

(96th Congress), was signed into law on March 17, 1980, 

to provide a domestic framework for the United States to 

align with the international obligations of the United 

States, including under— 


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(1) the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, done at Geneva July 28, 1951 (as made applicable 

by the Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees, done 

at New York January 31, 1967 (19 U.S.T. 6223)), of 

which the United States is a party; 

(2) the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, 

Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, done 

at New York December 10, 1984, of which the United 

States is a party; 

(3) the Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons, done at New York September 28, 1954; and 

(4) the Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness, done at New York August 30, 1961; 

Whereas the humanitarian protection provided by the Refugee Act of 1980, and the amendments made by that Act 

(Public Law 96–212; 94 Stat. 102), is consistent with 

the best values of the United States, such as judging people not ‘‘by the color of their skin but by the content of 

their character’’, championing religious liberty, standing 

up for one’s beliefs, standing up for those who are being 

mistreated, championing democracy, and upholding the 

rights and practices of self-governance and free speech 

regardless of race, ethnicity, or nationality; 

Whereas refugees are courageous, hard-working people of 

conviction and values, defenders of democracy and faith, 

and people who face persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social 

group, or political opinion, and in some cases, face persecution because they allied with the United States in crucial missions, such as in Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Iraq, 

and Afghanistan; 


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Whereas the refugee resettlement program of the United 

States authorized under the Refugee Act of 1980, and 

the amendments made by that Act (Public Law 96–212; 

94 Stat. 102), is a lifesaving solution critical to global 

humanitarian efforts that serves to— 

(1) strengthen global security; 

(2) advance the United States foreign policy goals 

and national security interests; 

(3) support countries that host hundreds of thousands, or even millions, of refugees; 

(4) collaborate with and support the efforts of the 

international community to support and resettle vulnerable populations; 

(5) stabilize sensitive conflicts and regions around 

the globe; and 

(6) encourage other nations to contribute to this 

cause through humanitarian support, resettlement, and 

finding strategies to address existing conflict and prevent 

future conflict; 

Whereas the refugee resettlement program provides protection and resettlement opportunities to individuals from 

Iraq and Afghanistan who worked side by side with members of the United States Armed Forces and peace builders; 

Whereas the administration acknowledges the partnership between refugee admission and protection of inherent 

human rights in both the 2018 Report on International 

Religious Freedom and the 2018 Country Reports on 

Human Rights Practices; 

Whereas refugees are major contributors to local economies, 

pay an average of $21,000 more in taxes than they receive in benefits, and revitalize cities and towns by offsetVerDate Sep 11 2014 03:16 Mar 14, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR902.IH HR902

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ting population decline and boosting economic growth 

throughout the United States by opening businesses, paying taxes, and buying homes; 

Whereas several industries rely heavily on refugee workers to 

support the economic stability of those industries, and 

low rates of arrivals of refugees, especially in towns that 

rely on refugee populations to revitalize the industries in 

those towns, have had serious effects on economic 

growth; 

Whereas through the refugee resettlement program, the 

United States has proudly pursued strategic and humanitarian interests, resettling more than 3 million refugees 

in all 50 States for over 40 years, and the program has 

received support from Republican and Democratic Presidential administrations and bipartisan congressional support, as Presidents have set, through Presidential determinations, an average annual refugee admissions goal of 

95,000 refugees; 

Whereas in collaboration with the Department of State, 

through the Office of Refugee Resettlement, faith communities, civic leaders, local social service agencies, employers, and refugee resettlement agencies provide essential services and welcome refugees who bring new life and 

vitality to local communities; 

Whereas, in 2020, the world is in the midst of the worst global displacement crisis in history, with more than 

70,800,000 forcibly displaced persons, including more 

than 25,900,000 refugees worldwide, more than half of 

whom are children, according to estimates from the 

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees; 


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Whereas, in 2018, global resettlement needs were not met despite the high number of refugees in need of third-country resettlement; 

Whereas a decline in refugee resettlements has had adverse 

impacts on the infrastructure of refugee resettlement in 

the United States, thus creating challenges for future increases in resettlement; 

Whereas many Presidents have made changes and improvements to the refugee resettlement program while continuing to support and nurture its crucial role in humanitarian protection and in promoting the strategic and national security interests of the United States; 

Whereas refugees are the most thoroughly vetted class of foreign nationals to enter the United States and are subject 

to extensive screening checks, including in-person interviews, biometric data checks, and multiple interagency 

checks; and 

Whereas as the major global humanitarian and strategic leader, the United States should operate its refugee resettlement program in a manner consistent with global refugee 

resettlement need, the United States historic commitment 

to refugee resettlement since the enactment of the Refugee Act of 1980, and its critical humanitarian leadership role on the world stage: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) reaffirms its bipartisan commitment— 

3 (A) to abide by the cherished domestic and 

4 international legal obligations of the United 

5 States to protect refugees who flee war, perseVerDate Sep 11 2014 03:16 Mar 14, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\HR902.IH HR902

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1 cution, or torture in search of religious liberty, 

2 democracy, peace, hope, and freedom; and 

3 (B) to recognize the importance of the ref4 ugee resettlement program of the United States 

5 as a critical tool for saving lives and as a crit6 ical function of United States global leader7 ship— 

8 (i) to leverage foreign policy; 

9 (ii) to strengthen national and re10 gional security; 

11 (iii) to support allies of the United 

12 States; and 

13 (iv) to demonstrate international sup14 port of refugees; and 

15 (2) calls upon the United States Government— 

16 (A) to provide robust funding for refugee 

17 protection overseas and resettlement in the 

18 United States; 

19 (B) to uphold its international leadership 

20 role in responding to displacement crises with 

21 humanitarian assistance and protection of the 

22 most vulnerable populations; 

23 (C) to work in partnership with the inter24 national community to find solutions to existing 


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1 conflicts and prevent new conflicts from begin2 ning; and 

3 (D) to ensure the United States refugee 

4 resettlement program is equipped to protect and 

5 support refugees, especially allies who need the 

6 support of the United States, as well as the 

7 international refugee assistance community that 

8 needs United States leadership, and local com9 munities across the United States who want to 

10 welcome refugees and continue together to build 

11 the American dream. 

Æ 


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