Declaring genocide in Darfur, Sudan.

Bill: 108-hconres-467
Sponsor: Rep. Payne, Donald M. [D-NJ-10]
Introduced: 2004-06-24 in the House
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Africa (Sub-Saharan)
Africans
Alien property
Arab countries
Arabs
Armed Forces and National Security
Bush (George W.) Administration
Cabinet officers
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Commemorations
Congress
Congressional tributes
Crime and Law Enforcement
Department of State
Diplomacy
Diplomats
Economic assistance
Economics and Public Finance
Ethnic relations
Ex-Members of Congress
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Foreign investments
Genocide
Government trust funds
Human rights
Immigration
International military forces
International relief
Islamic countries
Military intervention
Minorities
Refugees
Regionalism (International organization)
Repatriation
Sanctions (International law)
Senate
Sudan
Treaties
United Nations
Visas

Summary:
action_date: 2004-06-24
text: 
States that Congress: (1) declares that the atrocities unfolding in Darfur, Sudan, are genocide; (2) reminds the international community, including the U.S. Government, of their international legal obligations, as affirmed in the 1948 United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide; (3) calls on the Bush Administration to lead an international effort to prevent genocide in Darfur; (4) urges the Bush Administration to consider multilateral or even unilateral intervention to prevent genocide should the United Nations Security Council fail to act; (5) demands that the Bush Administration impose targeted sanctions, including visa bans and the freezing of assets of the National Congress and affiliated business and individuals directly responsible for the atrocities in Darfur; and (6) calls on the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to establish a Darfur Resettlement, Rehabilitation, and Reconstruction Fund.

action_date: 2004-07-22
text: 
States that Congress declares that the atrocities unfolding in Darfur, Sudan, are genocide, and urges the Administration to refer to such atrocities as genocide.
 
Reminds the Contracting Parties to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, particularly the Government of Sudan, of their legal obligations under the Convention. 
 
Declares that the Government of Sudan has violated such Convention.
 
 Deplores the United Nations Human Rights Commission's failure to take appropriate action with respect to the crisis in Darfur, particularly the Commission's failure to support U.S.-sponsored efforts to strongly condemn gross human rights violations committed in Darfur. Calls upon the United Nations (UN) and the UN Secretary General to assert leadership by calling the atrocities being committed in Darfur genocide.
 
Calls on UN member states, particularly member states from the African Union, the Arab League, and the Organization of the Islamic Conference, to undertake measures to prevent the genocide in Darfur from escalating further, including the imposition of targeted sanctions against those responsible for the atrocities. 
 
Commends the Administration's leadership in seeking a peaceful resolution to the Darfur conflict and in addressing the ensuing humanitarian crisis, including the visit of Secretary of State Colin Powell to Darfur in June 2004, to engage directly in efforts to end the genocide, and the provision of nearly $140 million in bilateral humanitarian assistance through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). 
 
Commends the President for appointing former Senator John Danforth as Envoy for Peace in Sudan, and further commends the appointment of Senator Danforth as U.S. Ambassador to the UN.
 
Calls on the Administration to continue to lead an international effort to stop genocide in Darfur. 
 
Urges the Administration to seriously consider multilateral or even unilateral intervention to stop genocide in Darfur should the UN Security Council fail to act. Calls on the Administration to impose targeted sanctions, including visa bans and the freezing of assets of the Sudanese National Congress and affiliated business and individuals directly responsible for the atrocities in Darfur. 
 
Calls on USAID to establish a Darfur Resettlement, Rehabilitation, and Reconstruction Fund.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-09-07
text: Received in the Senate and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
action_date: 2004-07-22
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2004-07-22
text: On motion to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 422 - 0 (Roll no. 420). (text: CR 7/21/2004 H6525-6526)
action_date: 2004-07-22
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 422 - 0 (Roll no. 420).(text: CR 7/21/2004 H6525-6526)
action_date: 2004-07-22
text: Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H6677)
action_date: 2004-07-21
text: At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
action_date: 2004-07-21
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H. Con. Res. 467.
action_date: 2004-07-21
text: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H6525-6536)
action_date: 2004-07-21
text: Mr. Tancredo moved to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, as amended.
action_date: 2004-06-24
text: Referred to the House Committee on International Relations.
action_date: 2004-06-24
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2004-06-24
text: Introduced in House