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United States · Resolution · HRES

H.Res. 944 (111th)

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives on the protection of members of vulnerable religious and ethnic minority communities in Iraq.

passedUnited States· United States Congress· EN

Introduced

3 December 2009

Last action

24 February 2010 · Vote

Status

The title of the measure was amended. Agreed to without objection.

Sponsors

Gary Peters, Rep. Wolf, Frank R. [R-VA-10], Anna Eshoo, Rep. Dingell, John D. [D-MI-16], James McGovern, Rep. Cardoza, Dennis A. [D-CA-18], Sen. Kirk, Mark Steven [R-IL], Rep. Filner, Bob [D-CA-51], Christopher Smith, SANDER LEVIN, Rep. McCotter, Thaddeus G. [R-MI-11], Rep. Schock, Aaron [R-IL-18], Rep. Olver, John W. [D-MA-1], ALCEE HASTINGS, Janice Schakowsky, Rep. Wexler, Robert [D-FL-19], Rep. Inglis, Bob [R-SC-4], Rep. Watson, Diane E. [D-CA-33], Jackie Speier, Rep. Shuler, Heath [D-NC-11], Rep. Murphy, Scott [D-NY-20], Keith Ellison, Rep. Watt, Melvin L. [D-NC-12], Rep. Maffei, Daniel B. [D-NY-24], Rep. Miller, Brad [D-NC-13], Rep. Richardson, Laura [D-CA-37], Rep. Kilroy, Mary Jo [D-OH-15], Gerald Connolly, Diana DeGette, Rep. Andrews, Robert E. [D-NJ-1], Rep. Adler, John H. [D-NJ-3], JOSEPH CROWLEY, Rep. Klein, Ron [D-FL-22], Rep. Kilpatrick, Carolyn C. [D-MI-13], Gregory Meeks, Rep. Carnahan, Russ [D-MO-3], Albio Sires, Rep. McMahon, Michael E. [D-NY-13], Rep. Woolsey, Lynn C. [D-CA-6], Sheila Jackson Lee, Rep. Berkley, Shelley [D-NV-1], Rep. Miller, Candice S. [R-MI-10], Rep. Dahlkemper, Kathleen A. [D-PA-3]

Subjects

Rule of law, Housing

Source updated

4 December 2025

Rule of law · Housing

Official sourceDownload fileView documentsShare

Summary

Expresses the sense of the Senate that: (1) the United States remains deeply concerned about the plight of specified vulnerable religious and ethnic minorities of Iraq; (2) the U.S. government and the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) should urge the government of Iraq to enhance security at places of worship in Iraq, particularly where religious minorities are known to be at risk; Urges the U.S. government to continue to work with the government of Iraq to: (1) train and deploy into the Iraqi police and security forces members of vulnerable minority communities in Iraq; and (2) ensure that members of such communities suffer no discrimination in recruitment, employment, or advancement in such forces, and be assigned to their locations of origin, rather than transferred to other areas. Urges the government of Iraq, with U.S. government assistance, to: (1) ensure that the upcoming national elections in Iraq are safe, fair, and free of intimidation and violence so that all Iraqis, including religious minorities, can participate in them; and (2) permit and facilitate election monitoring by experts from local and international nongovernmental organizations, the international community, and the United Nations, particularly in minority areas. Encourages the government of Iraq and the Kurdistan regional government to work towards a peaceful and timely resolution of disputes over territories. Encourages the U.S. government and UNAMI to urge the government of Iraq to work with minority communities and their representatives to develop measures to implement article 125 of the Iraq Constitution. Urges the government of Iraq to take affirmative measures to reverse the legal, political, and economic marginalization of religious minorities in Iraq. Urges the U.S. government to: (1) direct assistance to projects that develop the ability of ethnic and religious minorities in Iraq to organize themselves civically and politically to effectively convey their concerns to government; and (2) continue to fund capacity-building programs for the Iraqi Ministry of Human Rights (IMHR), the independent national Human Rights Commission, and a new independent minorities committee whose membership is selected by minority communities of Iraq. Urges the government of Iraq to: (1) direct the IMHR to investigate and report on abuses against and the marginalization of minority communities in Iraq, making recommendations to address such abuses; and (2) help ensure that displaced Iraqis considering return to Iraq have the proper information needed to make informed decisions regarding such return. Urges the U.S. government and international organizations to continue to work with the government of Iraq to develop the legal framework necessary to address property disputes resulting when displaced Iraqis attempt to return to their homes in Iraq.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

  1. 3 December 2009

    Introduced

    Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

    Source: IntroReferral

  2. 3 December 2009

    Introduced

    Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E2880-2881)

    Source: IntroReferral

  3. 3 December 2009

    Introduced

    Introduced in House

    Source: IntroReferral

  4. 3 December 2009

    Introduced

    Introduced in House

    Source: IntroReferral

  5. 23 February 2010

    Floor

    At the conclusion of debate, the chair put the question on the motion to suspend the rules. Mr. McMahon objected to the vote on the grounds that a quorum was not present. Further proceedings on the motion were postponed. The point of no quorum was withdrawn.

    Source: Floor

  6. 23 February 2010

    Floor

    DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H. Res. 944.

    Source: Floor

  7. 23 February 2010

    Floor

    Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H675-679)

    Source: Floor

  8. 23 February 2010

    Floor

    Mr. McMahon moved to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, as amended.

    Source: Floor

  9. 24 February 2010

    Floor

    Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H770-771)

    Source: Floor

  10. 24 February 2010

    Passed

    The title of the measure was amended. Agreed to without objection.

    Source: Floor

  11. 24 February 2010

    Passed

    Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

    Source: Floor

  12. 24 February 2010

    Vote

    On motion to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, as amended Agreed to by recorded vote (2/3 required): 415 - 3 (Roll no. 62). (text: CR 2/23/2010 H676)

    Source: Floor

  13. 24 February 2010

    Vote

    Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, as amended Agreed to by recorded vote (2/3 required): 415 - 3 (Roll no. 62).(text: CR 2/23/2010 H676)

    Source: Floor

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

Documents

6 official files

Sponsors

Related records

Sources

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