•HRES 902 IH 
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 thou-
sands, or even millions, of refugees; 
(4) collaborate with and support the efforts of the 
international community to support and resettle vulner-
able 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 protec-
tion and resettlement opportunities to individuals from 
Iraq and Afghanistan who worked side by side with mem-
bers of the United States Armed Forces and peace build-
ers; 
Whereas the administration acknowledges the partnership be-
tween 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 re-
ceive in benefits, and revitalize cities and towns by offset-
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•HRES 902 IH 
ting population decline and boosting economic growth 
throughout the United States by opening businesses, pay-
ing 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 humani-
tarian 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 Presi-
dential administrations and bipartisan congressional sup-
port, as Presidents have set, through Presidential deter-
minations, 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 com-
munities, civic leaders, local social service agencies, em-
ployers, and refugee resettlement agencies provide essen-
tial 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 glob-
al 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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•HRES 902 IH 
Whereas, in 2018, global resettlement needs were not met de-
spite the high number of refugees in need of third-coun-
try 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 in-
creases in resettlement; 
Whereas many Presidents have made changes and improve-
ments to the refugee resettlement program while con-
tinuing to support and nurture its crucial role in humani-
tarian protection and in promoting the strategic and na-
tional security interests of the United States; 
Whereas refugees are the most thoroughly vetted class of for-
eign nationals to enter the United States and are subject 
to extensive screening checks, including in-person inter-
views, biometric data checks, and multiple interagency 
checks; and 
Whereas as the major global humanitarian and strategic lead-
er, the United States should operate its refugee resettle-
ment program in a manner consistent with global refugee 
resettlement need, the United States historic commitment 
to refugee resettlement since the enactment of the Ref-
ugee Act of 1980, and its critical humanitarian leader-
ship role on the world stage: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) reaffirms its bipartisan commitment— 
(A) to abide by the cherished domestic and 
international legal obligations of the United 
States to protect refugees who flee war, perse-
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cution, or torture in search of religious liberty, 
democracy, peace, hope, and freedom; and 
(B) to recognize the importance of the ref-
ugee resettlement program of the United States 
as a critical tool for saving lives and as a crit-
ical function of United States global leader-
ship— 
(i) to leverage foreign policy; 
(ii) to strengthen national and re-
gional security; 
(iii) to support allies of the United 
States; and 
(iv) to demonstrate international sup-
port of refugees; and 
(2) calls upon the United States Government— 
(A) to provide robust funding for refugee 
protection overseas and resettlement in the 
United States; 
(B) to uphold its international leadership 
role in responding to displacement crises with 
humanitarian assistance and protection of the 
most vulnerable populations; 
(C) to work in partnership with the inter-
national community to find solutions to existing 
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•HRES 902 IH 
conflicts and prevent new conflicts from begin-
ning; and 
(D) to ensure the United States refugee 
resettlement program is equipped to protect and 
support refugees, especially allies who need the 
support of the United States, as well as the 
international refugee assistance community that 
needs United States leadership, and local com-
munities across the United States who want to 
welcome refugees and continue together to build 
the American dream. 
Æ 
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