Title: 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.
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
This resolution affirms the House of Representatives' commitment to abide by domestic and international legal obligations to protect refugees and to recognize the importance of the refugee resettlement program as a function of U.S. global leadership. Further, it calls upon the U.S. government to (1) provide funding for refugee protection and resettlement, (2) work with the international community to find solutions to existing conflicts and prevent new conflicts from beginning, and (3) ensure the U.S. refugee resettlement program is equipped to protect and support refugees.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 902 Introduced in House (IH)]

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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--

    (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;
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 offsetting 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;
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
    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, persecution, or torture 
                in search of religious liberty, democracy, peace, hope, 
                and freedom; and
                    (B) to recognize the importance of the refugee 
                resettlement program of the United States as a critical 
                tool for saving lives and as a critical function of 
                United States global leadership--
                            (i) to leverage foreign policy;
                            (ii) to strengthen national and regional 
                        security;
                            (iii) to support allies of the United 
                        States; and
                            (iv) to demonstrate international support 
                        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 international 
                community to find solutions to existing conflicts and 
                prevent new conflicts from beginning; 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 communities across the United 
                States who want to welcome refugees and continue 
                together to build the American dream.
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