[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 663 Introduced in House (IH)]
113th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. RES. 663
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives on the current
situation in Iraq and the urgent need to protect religious minorities
from persecution from the Sunni Islamist insurgent and terrorist group
the Islamic State in Iraq and Levant (ISIL) as it expands its control
over areas in northwestern Iraq.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 10, 2014
Mr. Vargas 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
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives on the current
situation in Iraq and the urgent need to protect religious minorities
from persecution from the Sunni Islamist insurgent and terrorist group
the Islamic State in Iraq and Levant (ISIL) as it expands its control
over areas in northwestern Iraq.
Whereas Iraq is currently embroiled in a political and religious insurrection
stemming from an Islamic State in Iraq and Levant (ISIL)-led offensive
that began in the Anbar province and has spread to key locations such as
Mosul, Tikrit, and Samarra and continues to engulf the region in
violence and instability;
Whereas ISIL is a transnational Sunni insurgency whose ideological and
organizational roots lie in both al Qaeda in Iraq and the Syria-based
Jabhat al Nursa and has a stated mission of establishing an Islamic
state and a caliphate across the Levant through violence against
Shiites, non-Muslims, and unsupportive Sunnis;
Whereas Iraq's population is approximately 31,300,000 with 97 percent
identifying themselves as Muslim and the approximately 3 percent of
religious minorities groups comprising of Christians, Yezidis, Sabean-
Mandaeans, Bahais, Shabaks, Kakais, and Jews;
Whereas the Iraqi Christian population is estimated to be between 400,000 and
850,000 with two-thirds being Chaldean, one-fifth Assyrian, and the
remainder consisting of Syriacs, Protestants, Armenians, and Anglicans;
Whereas the Iraqi constitution provides for religious freedom by stating--
(1) ``no law may be enacted that contradicts the principles of
democracy'';
(2) ``no law may be enacted that contradicts the rights and basic
freedoms stipulated in this Constitution''; and
(3) ``[This Constitution] guarantees the full religious rights to
freedom of religious belief and practice of all individuals such as
Christians, Yazidis, and Mandean Sabeans'';
Whereas over 500,000 people have been displaced by the current situation in Iraq
and reports have surfaced of targeted harassment, persecution, and
killings of Iraqi religious minorities by ISIL with little to no
protection from the Iraqi Government and other security forces;
Whereas the fall of Mosul in particular has sparked enough anxiety among the
Christian population that for the first time in 1,600 years there was no
Mass in the city;
Whereas over 50 percent of Iraq's Christian population has fled since the fall
of Saddam Hussein, 1,100,000 people of diverse religious backgrounds
remain internally displaced and the government under Prime Minister
Nouri al-Maliki has not upheld its commitment to protect the rights of
religious minorities;
Whereas the United States has provided over $73,000,000 of cumulative assistance
to Iraq's minority populations since 2003 through economic development,
humanitarian services, and capacity development;
Whereas 84,902 Iraqis have resettled to the United States between 2007 and 2013
and over 300,000 Chaldean and Assyrians currently reside throughout the
country, particularly in Michigan, California, Arizona, Illinois, and
Ohio; and
Whereas President Barack Obama recently declared on Religious Freedom Day,
``Foremost among the rights Americans hold sacred is the freedom to
worship as we choose . . . we also remember that religious liberty is
not just an American right; it is a universal human right to be
protected here at home and across the globe. This freedom is an
essential part of human dignity, and without it our world cannot know
lasting peace'': Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) reaffirms its commitments to promoting and protecting
religious freedom around the world and providing relief to
minority groups facing persecution;
(2) calls on the United States Department of State to work
with the Kurdistan Regional Government, the Iraqi central
government, neighboring countries, the diaspora community in
the United States, the United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees, and other key stakeholders to help secure safe havens
for those claiming amnesty in Iraq;
(3) respectfully requests the addition of a Special
Representative for Religious Minorities to be included in Prime
Minister al-Maliki's newly reconstructed government; and
(4) urges the Administration to expedite the visa
processing for Iraq's minority groups and to lift the quota cap
for Iraqi-Christians in order to streamline the process of
accepting refugees by reallocating immigration quotas rather
than increasing the 70,000 refugee limitation.
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