On September 25, a bill (H.R. 3127) sponsored by Rep. Henry Hyde (R-IL) was approved by voice vote. The legislation supports peace efforts in Darfur and directs the president to impose sanctions against individuals responsible for acts of genocide and war crimes in that region. The Senate approved the measure on Sept. 21 (see The Source, 9/22/06). The bill now heads to the White House for President Bush’s signature.
Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) stated, “Crimes against humanity in Darfur have escalated in recent months. Over 500 women were raped over the summer in one camp alone…The world stood by and watched the genocide that occurred in Rwanda. The world has noted over and over again the atrocities of the Holocaust. We must take action now to prevent a repeat of these horrific chapters in human history.”
On September 26, a resolution (H. Res. 723) urging the president to take immediate steps to improve the security situation in Darfur was approved, 412-7. Sponsored by Tom Lantos (D-CA), H. Res. 723 cites UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s statement that thousands of Darfur residents still are being murdered, raped, and driven from their homes. The resolution was approved by the House International Relations Committee on Sept. 13 (seeThe Source, 9/15/06).
