BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

                                                                                                                                             H.R. 341

                                                                                                                                        By: Naishtat

                                                                                                                                       State Affairs

                                                                                                       Committee Report (Unamended)

 

 

 

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

 

Since early 2003, the crisis in Sudan's western Darfur region has become one of the world's worst human rights crises.  In coordination with ethnic militias known as the "Janjaweed", the Sudanese government has systematically targeted civilians sharing the ethnicity of Darfur's main rebel movements.

 

More than 1,600,000 people have been forcibly displaced by the attacks and lost their property, livestock, and other assets.  Tens of thousands of civilians have been killed, raped, or arbitrarily detained by the Sudanese government forces and their militias.

 

The international response to the systematic killing, rape, displacement, and looting that have characterized the armed conflict in Darfur over the last three years has been consistently too little, too late.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

It is the committee's opinion that this resolution does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. 

 

 

ANALYSIS

 

HR 341 resolves that the Texas House of Representatives express its support for immediate intervention by the United States  and the United Nations, as leaders of the international community, to stop the genocide in Darfur and to ensure that humanitarian relief reaches all those in need.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE

 

There is no Effective Date stated in the resolution, nor is one required.