Reaffirming Importance of the United States to Promote the Safety, Health, and Well-Being of Refugees and Displaced Persons

Floor Speech

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this bipartisan resolution focusing on refugees and displaced persons, and I want to thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Ted Lieu) and the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Diaz-Balart) for introducing the resolution.

Today, conflict, violence, and natural disasters have displaced more than 70 million people around the world, the highest levels in history. We see these traumas in Syria, in Venezuela, in sub-Saharan Africa, in Burma and many other places.

These huge movements of vulnerable people and populations are not just humanitarian crises, but also strategic challenges to the stability of many critical regions.

The United States is and will continue to be a leader in confronting this reality. We remain the largest single donor supporting the needs of refugees and displaced persons around the world. But, as the need is increasing, we must also push our partners and other responsible nations to contribute more to these important efforts.

This resolution also, appropriately, recognizes the men and women who risk their lives to provide lifesaving assistance and protection to refugee populations. Without their bravery and dedication, none of this work would be possible.

In closing, I want to urge all my colleagues to support this important resolution.

Let me also say, on a point of personal privilege, I have enjoyed this exchange, this debate today with my good friend from Michigan (Mr. Levin), carrying on what I consider to be what the Foreign Affairs Committee is most proud of, and that is we are the most bipartisan committee in the House and, I would argue, in the Congress, and it is a great tradition to carry forward. I look forward to working with Mr. Levin in the future.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source