McCaul Passes Bipartisan Amendment Requiring President Obama to Address Genocide Crisis in Darfur
Video of McCaul’s floor remarks is available here.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Michael McCaul (R-TX 10) successfully amended the FY 2010-2011 Foreign Affairs Authorization Bill, requiring the President to develop a comprehensive interagency strategy and implementation plan for U.S. policy toward the crisis in Sudan.
"Today innocent civilians in Darfur are still suffering from genocide directed by a callous regime determined to hang onto power at any cost," said Rep. McCaul, a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee and the Sudan Caucus, in his remarks on the House floor. "With national elections due this year and reports of deadly conflict within and among various armed groups on the rise, the stakes could not be higher."
Five years of genocide in Sudan’s Darfur region has resulted in the murders of more than 300,000 people and the displacement of more than 2.5 million people. Over the past two decades more than 2 million people have died in Southern Sudan due to war and famine.
Congressman McCaul’s amendment, which passed unanimously, calls for the President to submit his strategy for dealing with the humanitarian crisis to Congress within 60 days. The plan should also address restoring access for humanitarian aid organizations that were expelled from the country in March. Further, the amendment requires the President’s plan evaluate measures to advance U.S. policy, including the application of multilateral sanctions, consideration of a no-fly zone, other coercive measures, or diplomacy.
"Implementing this comprehensive strategy will advance respect for democracy, human rights and religious freedom throughout Sudan. It will address internal and regional security while combating Islamic extremism," Rep. McCaul said. "And by advancing regional security and cooperation it will eliminate cross-border support for armed insurgents and it will shut down safe havens for extremists who pose a threat to the national security of the United States and its allies."
"I look forward to working with Mr. McCaul as (the amendment) moves through the process," said Rep. Howard Berman (D-CA), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
"The urgency of the situation in Darfur and the whole of Sudan requires that the policy review be released at the earliest possible date," stated the Save Darfur Coalition.