IV 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 559 
Recognizing the urgent need for peace, stability, and reconciliation in the 
Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and supporting diplomatic, 
economic, and humanitarian efforts to achieve lasting peace in the region. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 27, 2025 
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey (for himself, Mrs. RADEWAGEN, Mr. MCCORMICK, 
and Ms. SALAZAR) 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 
Recognizing the urgent need for peace, stability, and rec-
onciliation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo 
(DRC) and supporting diplomatic, economic, and human-
itarian efforts to achieve lasting peace in the region. 
Whereas the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has 
endured decades of conflict, political instability, and hu-
manitarian crises, causing immense suffering for its peo-
ple; 
Whereas eastern DRC and the broader African Great Lakes 
region continue to experience cycles of violence, displace-
ment, and human rights violations that threaten regional 
stability; 
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•HRES 559 IH 
Whereas since the resurgence of the March 23 Movement 
(M23) rebel group in 2021, there were about 6,800,000 
internally displaced persons (IDPs) by April 2025, ac-
cording to the United Nations Office for the Coordination 
of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA); 
Whereas more than 1,000,000 people were displaced in the 
first half of 2025 alone; 
Whereas one in every four Congolese people face severe food 
insecurity, and more than 2,100,000 children under the 
age of 5 suffer from acute malnutrition, according to 
OCHA; 
Whereas, according to OCHA, as of 2024, nearly 25,400,000 
people in the DRC require humanitarian assistance, mak-
ing it one of the largest and most complex humanitarian 
crises globally; 
Whereas the European Parliament adopted a resolution on 
November 24, 2022 (2022/2957(RSP)), addressing 
forced displacement and escalating violence in the eastern 
DRC, calling for targeted humanitarian aid and termi-
nation of support to armed groups; 
Whereas the European Union has enacted Regulation (EU) 
2017/821 to establish supply chain obligations for im-
porters of conflict minerals and to reaffirm its support 
for regional peace efforts through diplomatic and funding 
initiatives; 
Whereas local and national efforts, including the ‘‘Pacte So-
cial pour la Paix et le Bien-Vivre Ensemble’’ (Social Pact 
for Peace and Living Together), a joint effort by the Na-
tional Episcopal Conference of Congo (CENCO, by its 
French acronym) and the Church of Christ in Congo 
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•HRES 559 IH 
(ECC, by its French acronym), aim to promote reconcili-
ation, civic engagement, and lasting peace in the region; 
Whereas civil society organizations, religious leaders, and 
local communities actively support citizen workshops and 
national forums to form peace agreements; 
Whereas regional diplomacy, including the Doha, Luanda, 
and Nairobi Processes, provides critical platforms for me-
diation and disarmament of rebel groups; 
Whereas African-led peace initiatives, such as the Luanda 
and Nairobi processes facilitated by the East African 
Community (EAC) and Southern African Development 
Community (SADC), provide essential frameworks for 
mediation, disarmament, and dialogue to resolve the con-
flict and promote regional cooperation; 
Whereas, according to the African Union, coordinated peace 
frameworks such as the Luanda and Nairobi Processes 
remain critical tools in addressing transnational armed 
groups and enabling regional dialogue; 
Whereas the United States has provided vital diplomatic and 
humanitarian support to the DRC; 
Whereas illegal exploitation and trade in natural resources, 
particularly through the mining sector (exacerbated by il-
legal Chinese operations), finances armed groups and em-
powers corruption, violence, and child and forced labor 
within the region; 
Whereas the DRC possesses immense natural and mineral 
wealth estimated in the trillions of dollars, including ap-
proximately 70 percent of the world’s cobalt reserves and 
40 percent of global coltan production; 
Whereas militias exploit these resources, some of which is 
mined by children as young as four years old, to finance 
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their operations, perpetuating conflict and environmental 
degradation; 
Whereas The Sentry has documented persistent shortcomings 
in supply chain transparency and accountability, particu-
larly in Chinese-owned operations that fail to comply with 
labor and environmental standards; 
Whereas M23, the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of 
Rwanda (FDLR), and the Allied Democratic Forces 
(ADF), among other armed groups across eastern DRC, 
commit atrocities including mass murder, rape, torture, 
beheadings, burning, kidnapping, and forced conscription 
of children; 
Whereas M23, the FDLR, the ADF, and other armed groups 
across eastern DRC, deliberately destroy and loot towns, 
churches, and religious schools to erase nonconforming 
cultural and religious communities; 
Whereas these crimes have caused the displacement of hun-
dreds of thousands of people, rendering them vulnerable 
to exploitation and death; 
Whereas crimes against humanity, as defined in the Nurem-
berg Charter and subsequent international instruments, 
including the Convention on the Prevention and Punish-
ment of the Crime of Genocide, include such atrocities, 
especially when committed on political, ethnic, or reli-
gious grounds; 
Whereas the United States has designated the ADF as a 
Foreign Terrorist Organization and its leader, Seka 
Musa Baluku, as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist; 
and 
Whereas the ADF operates as an ISIS affiliate: Now, there-
fore, be it 
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Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) recognizes the urgent need for peace, sta-
bility, and reconciliation in the Democratic Republic 
of the Congo (DRC) and supports diplomatic, eco-
nomic, and humanitarian efforts to achieve lasting 
peace in the region; 
(2) recognizes the benefit of an inclusive na-
tional dialogue led and facilitated by CENCO and 
ECC that includes all the actors of civil society 
movements, religious confessions, political parties, 
and armed groups to promote social cohesion, na-
tional unity and principles of good governance; 
(3) urges the peaceful resolution of tensions be-
tween the DRC and Rwanda and encourages all re-
gional stakeholders to participate in African-led dia-
logues such as the Luanda and Nairobi Processes; 
(4) calling for a stop to all state support for 
non-state armed groups and respect for the DRC 
Constitution, democratic principles, human rights, 
and the cessation of arbitrary prosecutions, deten-
tions, and denial of official documents such as pass-
ports to political opponents and citizens; 
(5) calls on the DRC government to combat 
systemic corruption and implement transparent, ac-
countable governance and enforcement and adher-
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