III 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 204 

Recognizing June 20, 2015 as ‘‘World Refugee Day’’. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JUNE 18, 2015 

Mr. CARDIN (for himself, Mr. RUBIO, Mr. LEAHY, Mr. DURBIN, Mr. MARKEY, 

Mrs. SHAHEEN, Mr. COONS, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, Ms. BALDWIN, Mr. 

KAINE, Ms. STABENOW, Mrs. MURRAY, Mrs. BOXER, Mr. KING, Mr. 

BROWN, Mr. REED, Mr. MENENDEZ, Mr. WYDEN, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, Mrs. 

FEINSTEIN, and Mr. CASEY) submitted the following resolution; which 

was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing June 20, 2015 as ‘‘World Refugee Day’’. 

Whereas World Refugee Day is a global day to honor the 

courage, strength, and determination of women, men, and 

children who are forced to flee their homes under the 

threats of conflict, violence, and persecution; 

Whereas according to the United Nations High Commissioner 

for Refugees (referred to in this preamble as 

‘‘UNHCR’’)— 

(1) there are nearly 60,000,000 displaced people 

worldwide, the highest levels ever recorded, including almost 20,000,000 refugees, 38,000,000 internally displaced people, and 1,800,000 people seeking asylum; 


emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with BILLS
2 

•SRES 204 IS 

(2) children account for 51 percent of the refugee 

population in the world; 

(3) nearly 4,000,000 refugees have fled Syria since 

the start of the Syrian conflict and more than 7,600,000 

people are internally displaced; 

(4) approximately 1,325,000 people are displaced 

within Ukraine with approximately 800,000 Ukrainians 

seeking protection in other countries as a result of a 

worsening humanitarian situation in nongovernment controlled areas; 

(5) since April 2015, sporadic outbursts of violence 

in Burundi have prompted more than 100,000 Burundians to flee to the neighboring countries of Rwanda, 

Tanzania, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the 

Congo; 

(6) violent insurgent attacks in Nigeria have forced 

167,000 people to flee to the neighboring countries of 

Cameroon, Chad, and Niger, and have internally displaced nearly 1,500,000 people; 

(7) more than 88,000 women, men, and children, including many persecuted Rohingya refugees from Burma, 

have departed on smugglers’ boats from the Bay of Bengal since 2014, more than 1,000 of whom have died at 

sea; 

(8) as of June 2015, more than 100,000 refugees 

and migrants have crossed the Mediterranean Sea from 

North Africa and at least 1,800 women, men, and children have died during such crossings or are missing; 

(9) more than 180,000 Iraqi refugees and nearly 

3,000,000 internally displaced Iraqis; 

(10) nearly 6,000,000 internally displaced Colombians; 


emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with BILLS
3 

•SRES 204 IS 

(11) nearly 700,000 South Sudanese refugees in 

neighboring countries; and 

(12) more than 465,000 refugees from the Central 

African Republic; 

Whereas refugees who are women and girls are often at a 

greater risk of sexual violence and exploitation, forced or 

early marriage, human trafficking, and other forms of 

gender-based violence; 

Whereas the United States provides critical resources and 

support to the UNHCR and other international and nongovernmental organizations working with refugees around 

the world; and 

Whereas since 1975, the United States has welcomed more 

than 3,000,000 refugees who are resettled in communities across the country: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) reaffirms the bipartisan commitment of the 

3 United States to promote the safety, health, and 

4 well-being of the millions of refugees and displaced 

5 persons who flee war, persecution, and torture in 

6 search of peace, hope, and freedom; 

7 (2) calls upon the United States Government— 

8 (A) to continue its international leadership 

9 role in response to those who have been dis10 placed, including the most vulnerable popu11 lations who endure sexual violence, human traf12 ficking, forced conscription, genocide, and ex13 ploitation; and 


emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with BILLS
4 

•SRES 204 IS 

1 (B) to find political solutions to existing 

2 conflicts and prevent new conflicts from begin3 ning; 

4 (3) commends those who have risked their lives 

5 working individually and for the countless non6 governmental organizations and international agen7 cies such as UNHCR that have provided life-saving 

8 assistance and helped protect those displaced by con9 flict around the world; and 

10 (4) reiterates the strong bipartisan commitment 

11 of the United States to protect and assist millions 

12 of refugees and other forcibly uprooted persons 

13 worldwide. 

Æ 


emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with BILLS